What a work visa actually is
Ukrainian law has no separate category called a "work visa". What people mean by it is a long-stay visa D with purpose code D-04, employment. Paragraph 8 of the Rules for issuing visas, approved by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 118, names the supporting document for this visa. It is a certified copy of the дозвіл на застосування праці іноземця (work permit). The general procedure for getting any Ukrainian visa is set out in the guide to getting a Ukrainian visa.
Document checklist
0/6 doneWhy the work permit comes first
The order of steps is fixed and cannot be reshuffled. First the employer obtains the work permit from the центр зайнятості (employment centre). Next the foreigner takes a copy of that permit to a Ukrainian consulate and applies for visa D. Once in Ukraine, the foreigner applies for a посвідка на тимчасове проживання (temporary residence permit, TRP).
Applying for the visa before the permit exists achieves nothing. The consulate will refuse because there is no evidence of the purpose of the trip. How an employer obtains the permit is explained in the guide to the Ukrainian work permit, and the list of papers it needs is in the article on documents for a work permit.
Documents for the consulate
A work visa application combines the documents common to every visa with the supporting document for this ground. The common set covers the passport, the application form, a photo, biometrics, medical insurance, proof of funds and the fee receipt. For a work visa the supporting document is a certified copy of the work permit. In practice we file a notarised copy.
Funds are most easily shown with a letter of guarantee from the employer. The same letter also explains why you are travelling. A complete list is given in the article on documents for visa D.
When no work permit is needed
Some foreigners may work in Ukraine without a work permit. For them the Rules provide a different supporting document, namely the employment contract. Foreign Ukrainians file the employment contract together with their foreign Ukrainian certificate. Who falls into the exempt group is explained in the article on exemptions from the work permit.
Deadlines that have to fit together
Visa D is valid for 90 days. A work permit runs for a term of up to two years, and the employer must sign the employment contract with the foreigner within 90 calendar days of the date the permit is issued. These periods need to be lined up so that the foreigner has time to get the visa, enter Ukraine and start work.
The code on the visa must match the purpose
Every visa sticker carries a purpose-of-travel code, and for employment it is D-04. The code determines the ground on which you will later apply for the residence permit, so check it as soon as you collect the visa. What the other codes mean is explained in the article on types of Ukrainian visa.
Your name on the visa has to match your passport, and it must be spelled identically on the application form and on the copy of the permit. Any discrepancy between the permit, the visa and the passport will get in the way when you apply for the residence permit.
Citizens of countries under a special procedure
For citizens of states on a list set by the МЗС (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MFA) together with the СБУ (Security Service of Ukraine, SBU), a visa is issued only after a personal interview and clearance by the bodies that decide on entry bans. For the same group the employment centre clears the work permit with the SBU where the applicant is a citizen of a state recognised as a threat. Both stages take longer in these cases, so the employer should build in extra time.
If the employer changes
A work permit is issued for a specific employer and a specific position. If the foreigner moves to another employer after entering Ukraine, the new employer obtains a new permit and the residence permit is exchanged. The process is described in the article on changing employer.
After you enter Ukraine
After arrival the foreigner applies for a temporary residence permit while the visa is still valid. A residence permit based on employment runs for the term of the work permit, which means the two have to be renewed together. How to obtain it is explained in the article on the residence permit for employees.
At the border, ask for an entry stamp to be placed on the visa, and keep your ticket or boarding pass. You will need the entry date for later procedures.
Lawyer's experience
One mistake comes up more than any other. The employer and the worker reach an agreement, and the foreigner goes straight to the consulate before the permit has been issued. The outcome is predictable, since the consulate refuses and the fee is not refunded. So the permit comes first and the visa second.
We handle both stages as one case. While the employment centre is considering the permit, we prepare the application form, the insurance and the letter of guarantee. As soon as the permit is issued, the visa package is ready and the foreigner can book a consulate appointment right away.
If you want to go from permit to entry without pauses, we combine visa support with work permit processing.
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for the work visa while the work permit is still being processed?+
No. The supporting document is a certified copy of a permit that has already been issued. Without it the consulate will refuse because the purpose of the trip is not proven.
Who obtains the work permit, me or my employer?+
The employer. It files the documents with the employment centre, and the foreigner then uses a copy of the permit for the visa and later for the residence permit.
What if I do not need a work permit at all?+
In that case you file the employment contract for visa D instead of the permit. Foreign Ukrainians file the employment contract together with their foreign Ukrainian certificate.
Can I start working as soon as I enter on visa D?+
You may work within the scope of the permit you were issued and your employment contract. The visa is valid only for a limited time, though, so you need to apply for a residence permit in parallel.
What should I do if the visa shows the wrong purpose code?+
Go back to the consulate straight away, before you travel. A mistake on the sticker is easier to correct where the visa was issued than to explain later to the migration service.
This article is general guidance, not individual legal advice.