The main reasons for labor migration into the EU countries are stated in the article. Reasons for the increase of Ukrainians external labor migration to the EU countries are identified. The nature of their employment and time period of stay in the EU countries is revealed.

It is shown that there are no effective mechanisms or strategies that could fundamentally change the situation at the domestic labor market, affect the motivation of migrant workers and increase the competitiveness of the national labor market in Ukraine. The main reasons of Ukrainians to leave their country in search of a better life are identified and described. There is an increase in threats to Ukraine due to an increase in skilled labor migration. The real channels of labor migration to the EU countries are listed. It is defined that the human psychology of using the "here and now" rule compels some citizens to seek employment in the EU because of such employment success for their relatives or acquaintances. The essence of "migration behavior" as a psychological phenomenon is described. The scale of external labor migration testifies to the imperfection of conditions for self-realization of workers in Ukrainian society. This is evidenced by the increase in the number of young people leaving for work abroad and changing temporary labor migration to permanent employment.

It is noted that the use of cheap labor of migrant workers allows employers to remain competitive by reducing labor costs, which is recognized as discrimination basesd on citizenship (from a legal point of view). The influence of administrative reform and problems in the pension provision of the population on the intensification of labor migration processes is characterized. Measures to be taken in order to prevent the negative consequences of Ukrainians labor migration are suggested in the article.