(This is the second part of a two-part feature on the labor crunch in Ukraine caused by the westward flight of millions of refugees. If you haven't read Part I, click here to do so)
As millions of Ukrainian refugees settle into Germany, the UK, the US and other nations that have given them working rights, it's increasingly clear that many of them will not go back to Ukraine when the war ends.
When the shooting stops, though, Ukraine is expected to become the world's largest construction site. Hundreds of billions of dollars are to be spent to not only rebuild the country but to "build back better," leaving the country more modern, greener and more productive than it was before the war started.
"There is definitely a lack of workers. Businesses are talking about this in the open," said Oleksiy Miroshnychenko, president of the Confederation of Employers of Ukraine. "Let's not forget that about 6 million Ukrainians left after the full-scale invasion. Now, there are 9.6 million laborers in Ukraine who support 10.5 million retirees. This is also a big problem."
Who, then, will wield the hammers, clean the bunkhouses and drive the trucks for the reconstruction? The amount of work to do is staggering.
