Why Ukraine must avoid becoming a cheap labor hub, according to former minister Zholnovych.

The challenge of low wages in Ukraine

According to Espreso.tv: Oksana Zholnovych, who served as Ukraine's Minister of Social Policy from 2022 to 2025, shared her perspective on the country's low-wage problem and how it affects the return of migrant workers. She argued that Ukraine should not turn into a center for cheap labor. Zholnovych stressed that if average salaries remain at around $500, it will become significantly harder to attract workers back from Europe.

The role of economic reform

In a related discussion about migrant labor, videos surfaced on social media on May 14, 2023, falsely claiming that workers from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh were "washing clothes in the Bystrytsia River" in Ivano-Frankivsk. However, those clips had nothing to do with the Prykarpattia region, highlighting the need for careful media verification. This incident underscores how misinformation can spread, especially during times of information warfare.

Zholnovych’s remarks make it clear that for Ukraine to successfully bring back its migrant workers, it must raise wages to become an attractive destination for laborers from other regions.

The situation points to the urgent need for economic reforms in Ukraine aimed at improving living standards and making the country more competitive in the labor market. Without adequate pay, further emigration of the workforce is likely, which would harm both the economy and social stability.

At the same time, the importance of fact-checking in the media cannot be overstated, especially in an environment shaped by information warfare and manipulation, where false narratives can have serious societal consequences.