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Obtaining a work permit for a foreigner

In accordance with Ukrainian law, a Ukrainian employer must obtain a working permit for each foreigners that it intends to hire.
 
On October 15, 2022, Law of Ukraine No. 2623-IX «On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on the Employment of Foreigners and Stateless Persons in Ukraine and the Provision of Services for Mediation in Employment Abroad» came into force, which established equal remuneration conditions for both Ukrainian citizens and foreigners and stateless persons legally residing in Ukraine.
 
Prior to the adoption of the Law, there were rules that required foreigners to be paid 5-10 minimum wages (except for special categories of employees), which placed a significant financial burden on employers and contributed to the shadowing of labor relations with foreigners. Now, there is no division into special categories of employees, such as foreign highly paid professionals, founders and/or members of a legal entity, foreign IT professionals, and others, but instead there are foreign employees who must be paid one minimum wage per month.
 
Documents required to obtain a work permit for foreigners:
  • an application in the form established by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine;
  • copies of the pages of the foreigner's passport document with personal data together with a duly certified translation into Ukrainian;
  • color photograph of a foreigner or stateless person measuring 3.5 x 4.5 centimeters;
  • a draft labor agreement (contract) with a foreigner or stateless person certified by the employer.
The fee for issuing a work permit for foreigners in 2024 is as follows:
  • for a period of up to six months inclusive - UAH 9,084
  • for a period of six months to one year inclusive - UAH 15,140
  • for a period of one year to two years inclusive - UAH 24,224;
  • for a period of two years to three years inclusive - UAH 30,280.
The fee for extending the validity of the permit is reduced by one subsistence minimum of the fee for issuing the permit for the corresponding period.
 
Validity period of the work permit
A work permit for hired foreign employees can be obtained for a period of up to two years, depending on the term of the employment agreement (contract).
 
The issuance and extension of work permits 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, is subject to the approval of the regional bodies of the Security Service of Ukraine.
 
 
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