Work Permit in Ukraine

How to obtain a work permit in Ukraine? Documents required to obtain.

Foreigners and stateless persons can be employed in Ukraine only after obtaining an appropriate permit issued by the State Employment Service of Ukraine. These requirements are established by Article 42 of the Law of Ukraine “On Employment.” People who have permanent residency in Ukraine do not need a work permit to be employed. A work permit in Ukraine can be issued for up to 3 years. Permission may be renovated before it expires. When making Ukraine company verification, we always check the work permit to see if the company has any foreign employees. That is because the penalty for using foreign labour without a work permit is between UAH 80,000.00 and UAH 160,000.00 The company can also be fined even if there is no employment contract but based on the fact that a foreign private is working in that company.

It is not a must for an employee to come to Ukraine to obtain a work permit. It is a company (the employer) to apply for needed documents and to pay the required fees. Permission is issued to the employer (legal entity or sole proprietor) and not to the foreigner as an individual. So, work permits can be used for employment in a particular company or organization. That means that if you obtain an employment permit, you will be allowed to work only in a certain company and in a specific job position.

Making an investment, economic, and business activity by foreigners does not require obtaining a work permit. State registration of non-Ukrainians as sole proprietors also does not require obtaining a work permit. But this permission is required if the foreigner intends to be appointed to the position of the head (Director, Director General, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, President) of the legal entity of which he is a participant or owner. 

Permit to work does not entitle a foreigner to reside in Ukraine. But, obtaining of work permit is one of the basics to obtaining a temporary residence permit in Ukraine. Many individuals are getting a work permit with the aim of obtaining a residence permit in Ukraine. Consider that there is no such type of visa for Ukraine as a work visa.

The following documents must be applied to the state authority by an employer:

• application;
• copy of passport (translated into Ukrainian and certified by the notary);
• one colour photo (the size of 3.5 x 4.5 centimetres);
• draft employment contract (certified by the director of a Ukrainian company);
• proof of payment of the fee;

As of 2024, the official government fee for Ukrainian employment permits are:

Validity	State fee
2 – 3 years	UAH 30 280,00
1 – 2 years	UAH 24 224,00
6 months – 1 year	UAH 15 140,00

The payment must be made before applying for the work permit. So, make sure that the fee for the Ukrainian work permit has been processed timely and correctly. 

Who can obtain a work permit in Ukraine?

Any citizen, regardless of nationality. According to the laws of Ukraine, employment is permitted from age 16. Persons who have committed a crime previously may be refused a working permit. The issuance and extension of work permit for citizens of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, as well as other states recognized as threatening state sovereignty, territorial integrity and democratic constitutional order, and other national interests of Ukraine, are carried out in coordination with the regional bodies of the Security Service of Ukraine. 

It is compulsory to obtain a Ukrainian work permit to be able to employ:

• Foreign citizens who a foreign employer sends to Ukraine to perform a certain amount of work (services) based on contracts concluded between the domestic and foreign business entities; the percentage of qualified foreigners employed under the agreement does not exceed half of the total number of people working for Conditions of the contract;
• Foreigners who are classified as “intra-corporate transferees” according to the schedule of specific obligations in the service sector, the Protocol on Ukraine’s accession to the WTO (Article II of the General Agreement on Trade in Services);

The detailed procedure for the employment permit, state fees, terms, and requirements are regulated by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

It is not required to obtain a work permit for the following categories of citizens:

• foreign citizens who have a permanent residence permit in Ukraine;
• official refugees under the legislation of Ukraine;
• individuals who have obtained an immigration permit;
• foreigners who are recognized as persons in need of additional protection or who are granted temporary protection in Ukraine;
• representatives of foreign maritime (river) fleets and airlines that serve such companies on the territory of Ukraine;
• employees of foreign media who are accredited to work in Ukraine;
• professional athletes, artists, and art workers to work in Ukraine;
• workers of emergency services for urgent work;
• employees of foreign representative offices (registered in the territory of Ukraine in accordance with the procedure established by the law);
• ecclesiastics, clergymen  who are to reside in Ukraine temporarily (on the ground of invitation of the religious organization) for canonical or religious activity only in such religious organization;
• foreigners who arrived in Ukraine to participate in the implementation of international technical assistance projects;
• foreigners who arrived to conduct teaching and/or scientific activity in higher education institutions, universities, etc.;
• other foreigners in cases provided by laws and international treaties of Ukraine;

The involvement of highly qualified foreign specialists and workers, who are required for Ukraine’s economic progress, is carried out on the grounds defined by the Law of Ukraine “On Immigration.” Also, the employment of foreigners does not require the substantiation of an employment agency if that individual relies on a special category of foreigners.

(votes: 14, average: 4,00 из 5)

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