The Impact of Migration Processes on the Labour Market
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58423/2786-6742/2026-13-257-268Keywords:
migration, migration processes, labour market, displacement, refugees, internally displaced persons, wartime economy, UkraineAbstract
In the context of the digitalisation of socio-economic relations, the development of international cooperation strengthens interstate ties, reflected in particular in the increased cross-border mobility of citizens. International migration flows have a significant impact on the structure of employment, wage levels, professional qualifications, and the overall economic development of both destination and origin countries. The importance of migration analysis has grown considerably for Ukraine following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. The country has faced the most significant displacement since World War II, resulting in large-scale movement of people forced to flee the conflict. In this regard, the purpose of this article is to examine the impact of migration processes on the Ukrainian labour market. The growing numbers of international migrants, refugees, and internally displaced persons lead to changes in the demographic structure, skill composition, and cultural diversity of the labour force. This, in turn, affects labour supply and demand, employment and unemployment rates, and the structure and levels of wages. To achieve the research objective, the article analyses the dynamics and composition of displaced persons and identifies trends in the return, resettlement, and naturalisation of refugees for the period 2015–2024. It has been established that the defining characteristic of migration is its mixed impact on the economies of both origin and destination countries. Accordingly, the article identifies the positive and negative effects of migration on the labour market for both groups of countries. The consequences and externalities of migration for the labour market are also examined. The dynamics of displacement in the context of the war in Ukraine are analysed, the consequences of migration processes for Ukraine are assessed, and policy recommendations for addressing the key challenges of migration are proposed.
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