Work permit for foreigners in Ukraine: the complete guide
A work permit for a foreigner allows them to be employed officially in Ukraine. The employer (an LLC or a sole trader) obtains it through the employment centre for 1 to 3 years; the permit is the ground for a temporary residence permit.
- Review period
- 7-10 days
- Issuing authority
- employment centre
- Validity
- up to 3 years
- Renewal
- in advance
Who obtains the permit and for whom?
The thing that surprises foreigners most: the work permit is obtained by your future employer, not by you. A Ukrainian company or sole trader applies to the regional employment center for permission to employ you.
The permit is required for most hired foreign employees. The law defines special categories with their own conditions, including seconded employees of foreign companies and intra-corporate transferees.
The process step by step
- 1You and the employer agree on the terms: position, salary, duration.
- 2The employer prepares the application and copies of your documents (passport, photo).
- 3The package is filed with the regional employment center.
- 4The center reviews the application within 7 working days.
- 5After approval the employer pays the issuance fee.
- 6With the permit you sign the employment contract and can start the residence permit process.
Salary requirements: know this upfront
For hired foreign employees the law sets a minimum salary threshold, a multiple of the Ukrainian minimum wage. The threshold depends on the employer and employee category, and the minimum wage grows periodically, so verify the exact figure for your filing date against the law or with a lawyer.
In my practice this is where deals between foreigners and employers most often fall apart: discuss the official salary before starting the paperwork, not after.
What does the permit cost and who pays?
The issuance fee is paid by the employer, and the law forbids passing it on to the employee. The fee is tied to the subsistence minimum and depends on the permit duration: the longer the term, the higher the fee.
The exact amounts for the current year depend on the current subsistence minimum, so check the calculation with the employment center or article 42-4 of the employment law before filing.
Work permit and residence permit: how are they linked?
- Work permit
- the employer
- Residence permit
- the foreigner
- Work permit
- employment center
- Residence permit
- Migration Service
- Work permit
- right to work
- Residence permit
- right to reside
- Work permit
- first
- Residence permit
- after the work permit
Common questions about the work permit
Can a sole trader (FOP) get a permit for a foreigner?+
Yes, an individual entrepreneur can be a foreigner's employer and obtain the work permit under the general procedure.
What happens if you work without a permit?+
For the employer it is a substantial fine per employee, for the foreigner a risk of permit cancellation and trouble with future entries. Not worth it.
Can I change employers with a valid permit?+
The permit is issued to a specific employer for a specific position. A new employer obtains a new permit, and the residence permit has to be re-issued under the new ground.
Who applies: the employer or the foreigner?+
The employer (an LLC or a sole trader) files the application. We prepare the whole package for signing, so the foreigner's presence is not required.
Can I work without a permit?+
Some categories are exempt (for example, permanent residence permit holders). Other foreigners need a permit for official employment.
How long is the work permit valid?+
Depending on the ground, the permit is issued for 1 to 3 years, with the option to renew.
What about the residence permit after the work permit?+
The work permit is the ground for a temporary residence permit. We usually run both cases together.
Official sources
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