Ukraine updates its occupational register
Professional consultations, joint reform efforts, and the pursuit of European standards – this is how the Solidarity Fund PL supports Ukraine on its path to European Union integration.
Over the past year, the SFPL team, in cooperation with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), has accompanied Ukrainian partners in the process of updating the national occupational register – a key tool for the labour market and qualifications system.
The updated register is now aligned with the international ISCO-08 classification. The next step is harmonisation with the ESCO system – the European classification of Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations.
On 19 May 2025, a Ukrainian delegation, together with a representative of the EBRD, visited the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission in Brussels. Discussions with the ESCO team focused on how the system operates, implementation methodologies, and the potential participation of Ukraine in the international ESCO working group.
The following day, consultations continued at the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy in Warsaw. Ukrainian partners learned about Poland’s experience in harmonising occupational registers and integrating them with the European EURES network.
These are not just technical meetings – they represent tangible steps within Chapter 2 of Ukraine’s EU accession negotiations (“Free Movement of Persons”). Harmonising the occupational register not only facilitates worker mobility but, above all, enables the recognition of qualifications of Ukrainians returning home and contributing to the country’s reconstruction.
The SFPL team – with the support of the EBRD – will continue to assist the National Qualifications Agency and the Federation of Employers of Ukraine in developing a modern, digital, and effective occupational register aligned with European standards.
The project is co-financed under the Polish development cooperation programme of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland