During the three years of the war, the combined workforce of the 50 largest Ukrainian IT companies has declined by 20,000 specialists due to relocation abroad.

IT companies N-IX and Grid Dynamics Group saw a decrease of 50% in their workforces, while EPAM’s workforce was reduced by 31%. The largest exodus of IT specialists from Ukraine occurred in the second year of the full-scale war, with a loss of 10,700 people compared to 7,000 in the first year. This period also marked a peak in the legalization of individuals abroad. In the third year of the war, personnel outflow lessened noticeably, falling to 2,400 specialists.

The primary reason for these staff losses is the relocation of specialists abroad. Most companies have been actively establishing offices overseas over the past three years. As anticipated, Poland emerged as the most favored destination, with more than half of the top 50 IT companies opening offices in the country. In total, over 30 Ukrainian IT market leaders have launched offices in Poland.

The next most popular locations include Bulgaria (12 offices), Latin American countries (12), Romania (11), Portugal (8), and India (7).