Digitalization is increasingly covering various spheres of life all over the world. And although the IT industry is going through not the best times today, the need for IT workers remains relevant, especially for experienced, high-class and responsible specialists.
Many overseas IT companies are looking towards Eastern and Western Europe to optimize costs. And IT specialists from these regions themselves are looking for more profitable options with relocation. To find more attractive conditions for both employers and programmers, it would be quite appropriate to compare the salaries of programmers in Ukraine and some advanced IT states in the EU.
For greater objectivity, let’s focus on two positions: developer (programming language – Java) and Unity developer (programming language – C#). Of course, salaries for these professionals can vary even within the same country, depending on factors such as the experience of the developer, the size of the company, its regional location, etc. However, the general trends in software development pay in the countries studied are evident and reflected in the table below.
As you can see, a Java developer earns the least in Ukraine, a little more in the Czech Republic, the salary for this position is even higher in Poland, and the highest salary is in Germany. The Unity C# developer, in turn, earns the least in Poland, slightly more in the Czech Republic, followed by Ukraine, followed by Germany with the highest salary.
Based on the above data, we can draw the following conclusions. Ukraine offers relatively low salaries for Java and Unity C# developers compared to other countries. This makes it an attractive option for companies looking to hire skilled developers at a more affordable cost. Poland provides a competitive salary for Java and Unity C# developers. It offers a good balance between affordability and the availability of a skilled workforce. That is why this country can be an attractive choice for companies looking for talented developers at a reasonable cost. The Czech Republic offers moderate salaries for both Java and Unity C# developers.
At the same time, the country has a strong reserve of relevant specialists, which also makes it quite interesting for employers. Germany shows the highest salaries for two categories of developers among the listed countries. And while the country offers a highly skilled workforce, the higher cost of hiring in Germany can be a limiting factor for companies with limited budgets.
In general, choosing a country to hire Java and Unity C# developers depends on factors such as budget, project requirements, and specific talent needs. When making hiring decisions in these countries, companies must consider the balance between skill level, cost, and availability.
Hiring programmers in each of the analyzed countries can have both advantages and disadvantages, which must certainly be taken into account by the employing company.
Thus, among the advantages of hiring in Ukraine are competitive salaries for Java and Unity C# developers, relatively lower hiring costs compared to other countries, the availability of a qualified workforce in the field of IT and a powerful technical education system. The disadvantages of hiring in Ukraine include, in particular, the possibility of talent outflow due to higher salaries in other countries, fierce competition in the labor market, taxation and social insurance contributions, which can constitute a significant part of the income.
By hiring developers in Poland, the company will get benefits such as competitive salaries for Java developers and relatively low salaries for Unity C# developers, access to a developed IT market with a large number of companies and a generally favorable business environment and EU membership. Among the disadvantages are high rates of taxes and social contributions, certain positions may require knowledge of the Polish language and potential competition for qualified specialists in large cities.
The Czech Republic attracts with competitive salaries for Java and Unity C# developers, access to a skilled IT workforce and strong technical education institutions. But it alarms with the high rates of taxes and social contributions, fierce competition in the labor market, especially in Prague, and the need to master the Czech language for some positions.
Among the advantages of hiring developers in Germany are access to a highly qualified IT workforce and extensive career growth opportunities, high quality of life, developed infrastructure and a stable economy. Among the disadvantages are high rates of taxes and social contributions, strong competition in the labor market, and knowledge of the German language for many positions.
Undoubtedly, the range of factors that an IT company should take into account during recruitment can be expanded due to such indicators as cultural belonging, cost of living and availability of specialized talents, etc. In addition, each case is unique, therefore, before deciding on hiring programmers in Ukraine, Poland, the Czech Republic or Germany, the IT business should analyze all the critical factors for it.
