Work permit for a foreigner in Ukraine
Services for obtaining, extending, or amending a foreigner’s work permit across Ukraine:
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Service overview
1) For legal employment of a foreigner in Ukraine, the employer must obtain permission from the Employment Center.
2) The validity period of the permit is from six months to three years.
3) After the permit expires, it can be extended an unlimited number of times.
4) Education of a foreigner does not matter.
5) The employer can be both a legal entity and an individual entrepreneur.
6) The permit is issued for the employer for a specific position, and not for a foreigner seeking work.
7) Employing foreign citizens without a permit is a violation of labor legislation (a fine equal to twenty times the minimum wage) and an administrative offense (a fine from UAH 8,500 to UAH 17,000).
The cost of services
- Consultation
- Preparation of documents
- Submission of documents to the Employment Center
- Obtaining a work permit
- up to 1 year - 5500 uah
- from 1 year to 3 years - 7500 uah
- Translation of a foreigner’s passport into Ukrainian, notarized
- 600 uah
- Submission of the concluded employment contract to the Employment Center
- 1000 uah
Attention! In addition to the service cost listed above, a mandatory state fee must be paid for issuing a work permit. The amount depends on the desired validity period:
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Up to 6 months — 3 SM;
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6 months – 1 year — 5 SM;
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1 – 2 years — 8 SM;
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2 – 3 years — 10 SM.
* SM — subsistence minimum for able-bodied persons.
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For an extension, the state fee is 1 subsistence minimum less than for the initial issuance for the same term.
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The employer must submit the fee payment receipt to the Employment Center together with the application for issuance/extension of the permit.
Detailed information
What is a work permit in Ukraine?
The permit for the employment of foreigners and stateless persons is the official name of the document that grants an employer the right to lawfully hire a foreigner for a specific position and for the term indicated in the permit.
Who does not need to obtain a work permit?
Without obtaining a work permit, employment is carried out:
- foreigners permanently residing in Ukraine (received a permanent residence permit in Ukraine);
- foreigners who have acquired refugee status or received permission to immigrate to Ukraine;
- foreigners who have been recognized as persons in need of additional protection or who have been granted temporary protection in Ukraine;
- representatives of foreign sea (river) fleets and airlines serving such companies on the territory in Ukraine;
- persons recognized as stateless by the State Migration Service of Ukraine;
- employees of foreign mass media accredited to work in Ukraine;
- athletes who have acquired professional status, artists, and art workers to work in Ukraine by profession;
- employees of emergency and rescue services to perform urgent work;
- employees of foreign representative offices that are registered on the territory of Ukraine in accordance with the procedure established by law;
- clerics who are foreigners and temporarily stay in Ukraine at the invitation of religious organizations to conduct canonical activities only in such organizations with official approval from the body that registered the charter of the relevant religious organization;
- foreigners who have arrived in Ukraine to participate in the implementation of international technical assistance projects;
- foreigners who have arrived in Ukraine to carry out teaching and/or scientific activities in institutions of professional pre-higher and higher education at their invitation;
- other foreigners in the cases stipulated by the laws and international treaties of Ukraine, for which the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has given consent to be bound.
Who needs to get a work permit?
If a foreigner does not belong to any of the categories of persons mentioned above, for his legal employment, the employer must first obtain an employment permit to use the foreigner's labor.
A work permit in Ukraine must be obtained for the following categories of foreigners:
- foreign employees and gig workers;
- seconded foreign workers;
- intra-corporate assignees;
- foreigners and stateless persons, in respect of whom a decision has been made to process documents to resolve the issue of recognition as a refugee or a person in need of additional protection, as well as those who appeal the refusal decision;
- persons who have submitted an application for recognition as a stateless person, and persons who appeal the decision to refuse recognition as a stateless person;
- foreigners and stateless persons who have arrived in Ukraine for the purpose of studying in higher education institutions and intend to work in Ukraine during the period of study and after graduation, provided that they are employed no later than 30 calendar days before the end of their studies.
Who issues the work permit?
To obtain a work permit for a foreigner, the employer applies to the territorial body of the State Employment Service (Employment Center).
The procedure of obtaining a work permit in Ukraine
- Preparation of documents from 1 w.d.
- consultations
- preparation of necessary application, powers of attorney, translations, etc
- payment for the issuance of a permit
- Submission of the documents to an Employment Center 1 w.d.
- receiving a description of accepted documents
- Decision making by the Employment Center 3 w.d. - extension, 7 w.d. - initial issuance
- verification of submitted documents by the Employment Center and decision-making
- Obtaining a ready-made permit 1 w.d.
- Submission of a copy of the concluded employment contract with a foreigner to an Employment Center not later than 100 c.d. from the moment of issuing the permit
List of documents required to get a work permit for a foreigner in Ukraine
1. Application
2. Notarized translation of the foreigner’s passport
3. Photo
4. Project of an employment agreement (contract)
5. A fee payment document for the issuance of a permit
6. Power of attorney from the employer in favor of our company’s employees
1. Application
2. Photo
3. Fee payment document for the permit extension
4. Power of attorney from the employer in favor of our company’s employees
Processing times for a work permit in Ukraine
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Time to issue a work permit for a foreigner — 7 business days
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Time to obtain a duplicate work permit for a foreigner — 7 business days
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Time to extend a foreigner’s work permit — 3 business days
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Time to make changes to a foreigner’s work permit — 3 business days
For how long can a work permit be issued?
The validity period of a work permit depends on the category under which it is issued to a foreigner.
| For foreign employees and gig workers | for the term of the employment contract or the gig contract, but no more than 2 years |
| For seconded foreign workers | for the term of the foreign economic agreement, but no more than 3 years |
| For intra-corporate assignees | for the term of the decision on transfer to Ukraine for employment and the employment contract, but no more than 3 years |
| For all other categories | no more than 1 year |
Employer’s obligation to conclude an employment contract with a foreign employee
After obtaining a work permit, the employer must conclude an employment contract with the foreign national. A copy of the employment contract must be submitted to the Employment Center.
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The employment contract or gig contract with the foreigner must be concluded no later than 90 calendar days from the date the work permit was issued.
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A certified copy of the employment contract must be submitted no later than 10 days from the date of signing the contract.
Can a foreigner’s work permit be extended in Ukraine?
The validity of a work permit in Ukraine can be extended an unlimited number of times.
To extend it, you must also pay the state fee, prepare the document package, and submit it together with the extension application to the Employment Center.
The extension application may be submitted no earlier than 50 calendar days and no later than 20 calendar days before the work permit expires.
When do you need to make changes to a work permit?
You must apply to the Employment Center to amend a non-resident’s work permit in the following cases:
- change of the name, reorganization, or spin-off of the employer legal entity; change of the first name and/or surname (and, where applicable, patronymic) of the individual entrepreneur who is the employer;
- issuance of a new passport document for the foreigner, including in case of a change of first name and/or surname (and, where applicable, patronymic);
- change of the foreigner’s job title or transfer to another position with the same employer within the validity period of the permit.
In what cases the work permit can be revoked?
At the initiative of the employer, the permit is canceled in the following cases:
- the employment contract or gig contract with a foreigner or stateless person has been terminated;
- the execution of the contract concluded between Ukrainian and foreign business entities, in connection with which a foreigner or a stateless person was sent, has been suspended;
- The Migration service made a decision to recognize a foreigner as a refugee or a person in need of additional protection.
At the initiative of the Employment Center, the permit is canceled in the following cases:
- failure by the employer to submit a copy of the employment contract or gig contract concluded with a foreigner to the relevant Employment Center within the prescribed period;
- submission by the employer of an application for the cancellation of the permit or detection by the Employment Center of the fact that the employer did not submit an application for the cancellation of the permit, if there are circumstances;
- detection of unreliability of data in the documents submitted by the employer, which could not be detected during the examination of the application;
- there is a decision on forced return or forced deportation of a foreigner;
- establishment of the fact of employment of a foreigner under conditions other than those specified by the permit or by another employer (except for permitted cases of part-time work and combining positions);
- the foreigner's failure to exercise the right to appeal the decision of the Migration Service to refuse recognition as a refugee or a person in need of additional protection, or in the case of a final decision on the refusal to recognize a refugee or a person in need of additional protection;
- entry into legal force of the indictment of the court, according to which the foreigner was convicted for committing a crime;
- receipt of a request to revoke a permit from the National Police of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, another state body that, within the limits of its powers, ensures compliance with the requirements of the legislation on the legal status of foreigners and stateless persons;
- non-payment by the employer, according to the data of the register of insured persons of the State Register of Mandatory State Social Insurance, of the single contribution to the mandatory state social insurance for the person whose work permit has been obtained, within two months from the date of concluding an employment contract (contract) with a foreigner or a stateless person, except for cases provided for by law;
- receiving from the institution of higher education of Ukraine information about the expulsion of a foreigner or a stateless person.
Document samples
FAQ
Do foreigners with a permanent residence permit need a work permit?
Do foreigners with a temporary residence permit need a work permit?
What penalties apply for employing a foreigner without a work permit in Ukraine?
- a fine equal to twenty minimum wages (20 MW);
- an administrative fine of 8,500 to 17,000 UAH.
Can a sole proprietor (FOP/FLP/SPD) hire a foreigner and obtain a work permit in Ukraine?
Can a foreign founder and owner of a company obtain a work permit in Ukraine?
Do stateless persons need a work permit to be employed?
If the person has an identity document issued by another country, the work permit is issued under the general procedure.
How do foreign students obtain a work permit?
Additionally, you must submit a copy of the order of a Ukrainian higher education institution confirming enrollment and the study periods, as well as the university’s written consent to the student’s employment and its obligation to notify the Employment Center if the student is expelled.
Can a work permit be obtained without an employer?
Who can obtain a work permit without paying the state fee?
A work permit is issued and extended free of charge for:
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foreigners and stateless persons with respect to whom a decision has been made to process documents on recognition as a refugee or a person in need of additional protection, as well as those appealing a refusal decision;
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foreigners and stateless persons who have arrived in Ukraine for studies at higher education institutions;
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persons who have applied for recognition as a stateless person, and persons appealing a refusal decision;
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foreigners and stateless persons who are directly involved in repelling and deterring the armed aggression of the russian federation against Ukraine.
Are there any special rules for obtaining a work permit for citizens of visa-free and visa countries?
Can a foreign worker with a work permit have a secondary job (work part-time)?
A foreigner may also work part-time without a separate permit for the same employer, provided that the term of the part-time employment contract does not exceed the validity of the permit for the main job.
In addition, the foreigner may temporarily fill the position specified in the permit and substitute for a temporarily absent employee, but for no more than 60 calendar days per year.
What is required from a foreign national to obtain a work permit?
To apply for a work permit in Ukraine, ask the foreign national for:
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A photo on a white background, size 35 × 45 mm
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A scanned copy of the foreign passport page with personal data
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TIN in Ukraine (if available)
How can a foreigner’s work permit be verified in Ukraine?
Can a duplicate work permit be obtained?
If the permit is lost, notify the relevant Employment Center and file a free-form application for a duplicate.
If the permit is damaged, submit an application for a new form and attach the damaged permit.
Questions and comments