The landscape of Ukraine's IT sector is witnessing significant structural changes, even as the overall workforce among the top 50 IT companies remains relatively stable at around 79,000 professionals. During the first half of 2026, the number of IT specialists in these companies saw a slight decrease of just 0.7%. However, this stability masks a troubling trend: the number of technical specialists is declining, with a total drop of 1,987 technical roles, or 3%, reported.
A recent analysis indicates that only 18% of companies maintained their employee count, a significant drop from 44% in the winter of the previous year. Meanwhile, 38% of firms are experiencing growth, primarily in product and hybrid companies, while 42% have reduced their workforce in Ukraine. Notably, the number of companies undergoing substantial layoffs has increased, with eight firms reporting reductions of over 10% in their staff, compared to only two in the latter half of 2025.
Despite these reductions in technical roles, hiring remains vigorous, with companies onboarding nearly 7,000 new professionals in the first half of the year. The product sector continues to drive this hiring surge, accounting for half of all new contracts, while outsourcing and outstaffing firms contributed 38% of new hires, bucking the trend of team reductions in that segment.
Ajax Systems stands out as a leader in growth, expanding its workforce by 977 specialists, including 225 technical roles, thanks to product line expansion and production scaling. The company is particularly focused on hiring Embedded and Hardware engineers, Java developers, mechanical engineers, and QA specialists.
UPSTARS also made significant strides, growing its team to 997 members with 199 new hires, fueled by product development and market expansion. The company is actively seeking professionals in areas such as development, product design, QA, marketing, and management, particularly at the Middle+ and Senior levels.
Newcomer Boosta has increased its team by 152 employees, driven by business scaling and investments in five new projects, currently offering over 70 job openings with a high demand for SEO, marketing, product development, and analytics professionals.
Conversely, companies like EPAM, SoftServe, GlobalLogic, AUTODOC, Ciklum, and King Group have reported staff reductions due to various factors including project completions, market shifts, and restructuring efforts. Despite these challenges, many firms plan to continue hiring, particularly focusing on specializations in AI, Cloud, Data Science, and other advanced technologies.
As the market adapts, the ongoing demand for skilled professionals, particularly in product and IT roles, suggests that while some companies may face challenges, the overall hiring trend remains positive. This dynamic environment presents both opportunities and obstacles for competitors in the IT sector.
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