Work permit in Ukraine

We are often approached with such questions as: is it possible to employ a foreign citizen to work in Ukraine, what is the procedure for such employment, for what period it is possible to issue a work permit, how to issue a residence permit on a working basis, and many others. We have prepared material for you on these and other questions below.

The procedure for obtaining a work permit
There are several stages of obtaining a work permit for a foreign citizen:
· The employer must apply to the local Employment Center and justify the need for the employment of a foreign citizen.
· A foreign citizen can independently apply for a work Permit, provided that the foreign citizen is the founder of a Ukrainian company.
· A foreign citizen may not be on the territory of Ukraine during the registration of a work Permit.
· When applying for a work Permit, a fee of UAH 8,500 is paid for one year, and UAH 12,800 for 3 years.

The deadline for issuing a work permit
A work permit can be issued to a foreign citizen for a year or for 3 years.
· 1 year — if a foreign citizen issues a permit for a vacant position
· 3 years — if a foreign citizen acts as the founder of a legal entity in Ukraine and is registered for the position of director. This period also applies to employees from the following industries: IT professionals, creative professionals, graduates of the best universities in the world and others.
After the expiration of the Work Permit, a foreign citizen can extend it. The extension of the term is possible an unlimited number of times.

Salary and tax burden
The amount of payment for the work of a foreign citizen must be at least the minimum wage in Ukraine. The minimum wage in the amount of UAH 6,000 can be set by the employer for the following employees:
· graduates of universities included in the top hundred in the world university rankings;
· foreign workers of creative professions;
· foreign IT professionals;
· if a foreigner acts as the founder of a legal entity in Ukraine.
From this amount, the employer must pay a tax of UAH 2,500.
For all other positions and professionals, as a general rule, a salary threshold of UAH 60,000 is set. Monthly, taxes of at least UAH 25,000 must be paid from the specified amount.

Registration of a residence permit on the basis of employment
A foreign citizen who has received a work permit in Ukraine has the right to apply for a temporary residence permit (hereinafter referred to as a residence permit). Read more about obtaining a residence permit in our special article.

List of persons who do not need a work permit
There is also a list of persons who do not need to apply for a work Permit, among them:
· a foreign citizen who has a permanent residence permit in Ukraine;
· a foreign citizen who has received a permit to immigrate to Ukraine;
· an employee of a foreign mass media accredited to work in Ukraine;
· a foreign citizen who has arrived in Ukraine to participate in the implementation of international technical assistance projects and other legal requirements.

Sanctions for violation of the procedure for registration of a foreigner for work
In case of violation of the law and registration of a foreign citizen for work without a Permit, the employer is fined in the amount of UAH 83,500 for each employee. A foreign citizen working without the necessary Permit will also be fined from UAH 1,700 to UAH 5,100.