Low income policy pursued by acting administration will further encourage labor migration in 2020. This was stated by OPPOSITION PLATFORM – FOR LIFE MP Serhiy Lovochkin in a commentary on this year budget’s social figures.

“Minimum monthly wage was 4,173 hryvnia in 2019 and is 4,723 hryvnia as of 2020. It’s still lower than the real cost of living for employable population, which is 4,797 hryvnia. Last year, almost 20 percent of Ukrainians were paid under the real cost of living, and almost two thirds of our citizens earned under 10,000 hryvnia. If the incomes do not increase, the population will continue migrate abroad in search of work,” Lovochkin said.

The politician cited data that Poland has increased its minimum wage up to 2,600 zlotys (over 17,500 hryvnia) effective Jan. 1. At the same time Polish government simplifies its regulations on employment visas, employment, education, and academic activities for Ukrainians, as well as expands its guarantees of social benefits for officially employed Ukrainians. Germany has been also simplifying access for Ukrainians to its labor market, which offers even higher salaries.

“Several countries are fighting for the Ukrainian workforce, but Ukraine is not among them. Two million our citizens work in Poland alone, and the total number of those who were not able to find decently paid jobs at home is now over 4 million people. OPPOSITION PLATFORM – FOR LIFE has drafted a number of bills providing for stimulation of economy and creation of high-paid jobs. Conditions must be made for Ukrainians to want and to be able to work in their home country,” Lovochkin said.