Kharkiv needs the return of Ukrainians: Igor Terekhov spoke out against the mass involvement of labor migrants
The shortage of personnel in front-line cities became one of the problems of the war, as some people went abroad, some served in the army, and businesses, utilities, hospitals, schools, and construction companies continued to operate under constant strain. For Kharkiv, this issue is of particular importance, as the city remains a major economic and educational center near the front, where the shortage of workers affects not only enterprises but also the daily functioning of the city’s infrastructure.
Position of the Kharkiv Mayor
At a forum held by the Association of Frontline Cities and Communities, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov stated that he is negative about the mass attraction of labor migrants to Ukraine. In his opinion, the state should focus on the return of Ukrainians who left abroad because of the war, and create conditions for them to work and live at home.
“I am negative about bringing in labor migrants. We need to return our Ukrainians from abroad so that they can come with their families and earn decent money here. This is what state policy should be aimed at,” Igor Terekhov emphasized.
According to him, Ukrainians should return with their families and be given the opportunity to earn decent money in Ukraine. He believes that state policy should be aimed at employing its own citizens, and not at replacing the personnel shortage with foreign labor.
Where Kharkiv is experiencing a shortage of workers
In Kharkiv, the shortage of personnel is noticeable in almost all key areas. The city lacks specialists in medicine, education, transport, construction and other industries on which the normal operation of the city depends.
The shortage of people in the front-line region has complex reasons. Some Kharkiv residents have left for safer regions or abroad, some have changed jobs due to the war, and some enterprises and institutions operate in conditions of increased risk, which complicates the search for employees.
The mayor’s position is based on the fact that Ukraine already has a significant human resource abroad. Many citizens maintain contact with home, monitor the situation in the country and may return if they have work, housing, safety for children and clear prospects.
For Kharkiv, the return of Ukrainians would mean not only closing vacancies. This also means restoring the local economy, filling schools, supporting businesses, increasing tax revenues, and gradually returning the city to a more active life.
A word about foreign students
At the same time, Igor Terekhov distinguished between labor migration and international education. He supports the return of foreign students to Kharkiv, as this is connected with the development of universities, the city’s economy, and Kharkiv’s educational reputation.
Foreign students, according to his logic, are not part of the mass attraction of the labor force. Their presence helps higher education, supports universities and related sectors, but does not solve the shortage of personnel in medicine, transport, construction or utilities.
The shortage of workers in Kharkiv highlights a broader problem facing Ukrainian cities during the war. The economy needs people, but the return of citizens depends on security, wages, housing, access to education and medicine, and whether families see a real opportunity to live stably in Ukraine.
Therefore, the issue of labor migration for frontline communities is not limited to finding workers. It is related to whether the state will be able to create conditions under which Ukrainians abroad will choose to return, and employers will have enough people to restore cities and operate basic sectors.
