From which Ukrainian city do young people actively travel abroad: a surprising answer

Olga Nasonova, co-founder of the National Restaurant Association, reported that about a third of Lviv’s catering workers have already left or are planning to leave abroad.

She emphasized that Lviv is experiencing a significant outflow of young professionals. “Approximately 30% of the workers have left their jobs or are planning to do so. The problem is not of such a scale in other cities, such as Kharkiv, Dnipro, or Poltava,” she noted.

Nasonova believes that the reason for this phenomenon is the presence of relatives abroad. “It is easier for young people to leave everything and leave if they already have relatives abroad. For example, among the chefs I know in Kyiv, only one decided to leave, while the others continue to work in the city,” the expert added.

This situation creates serious personnel challenges for cafes and restaurants in Lviv, as many positions remain vacant or change frequently.

In addition, Ukrainian students have actively started using academic leave and distance learning to travel abroad. Universities are facing a new trend in which students are changing their study programs to gain the opportunity to leave the country. This trend has increased since the government allowed men aged 18 to 22 to travel outside Ukraine.