How long a permit lasts under the law
The term of a work permit (дозвіл на застосування праці) is set by Article 42-3 of the Law "On Employment of the Population". The general logic is the same for every category. A permit is issued for the term of the document that confirms the work, but for no longer than the maximum the law sets for that category.
Why websites show different terms
The employment law was substantially amended in 2022. Before the amendments there were "special categories" of foreigners, among them highly paid professionals, company founders and IT specialists, and for them the permit was issued for a longer term. An ordinary employee got less at the time.
Those categories have since been removed from the law. Old tables still circulate on websites, in guides and even on the pages of some authorities. If you see a term tied to a "special category", the information is outdated. Today the founder or director of their own company gets a permit as an ordinary employee.
How to choose the permit term
The employer decides what term to request, within the maximum. The центр зайнятості (employment centre) cannot shorten the term stated in the application, so the decision is entirely yours. It also has consequences that are not obvious at first.
A longer term costs more up front, because the fee grows with the term. In 2026 a permit for up to six months costs UAH 9,984, six months to a year UAH 16,640, one to two years UAH 26,624, and two to three years UAH 33,280. In exchange, the permit has to be renewed and the residence permit exchanged less often. A shorter term is cheaper now, but every renewal means a new application, another fee and the risk of missing the filing window. For an employee hired for the long run, we usually recommend the maximum term.
Choosing a shorter term makes sense when the work really is temporary or when the employer is not yet sure about the employee. Then there is no need to overpay for a long permit.
Permit term and residence permit term
A посвідка на тимчасове проживання (temporary residence permit, TRP) based on employment is issued for the period stated in the work permit. The permit term automatically becomes the TRP term, and this link is explained in more detail in the article on the work-based residence permit. A shorter permit means more frequent visits not only to the employment centre but also to the ДМС (State Migration Service, DMS).
What happens when the term runs out
When the term ends, the permit can be renewed if the employer and the position have not changed. The application is filed no earlier than 50 calendar days and no later than 20 calendar days before expiry, as set by part two of Article 42-6 of the law. The law sets no limit on the number of renewals. How to do it is explained in the article on renewing a work permit.
If the window is missed, the permit expires, and from the next day the foreigner's work counts as work without a permit. All that remains then is a new application with the full package described in the article on documents for a work permit.
When a permit ends before its term
A permit's "Дійсний до" (valid until) date shows the maximum term but does not guarantee it. The permit can end earlier through revocation, and Article 42-10 of the law lists when this happens.
The employer itself must apply for revocation once the employment contract with the foreigner has ended. The employment centre also revokes permits on its own initiative. The most common grounds are these:
Some of these grounds block a new permit for the same person for one year. Revocation on the employer's application after a dismissal creates no such barrier.
- the employer has not filed a copy of the employment contract within ten days of signing it;
- the foreigner is employed on terms other than those set in the permit, or by another employer outside lawful concurrent employment;
- the employer has not paid the єдиний внесок (single social contribution) for the employee within two months of the contract date;
- a decision on forced return or forcible expulsion has been made regarding the foreigner, or a guilty verdict against them has taken effect.
Lawyer's experience
In our practice the permit term is most often discovered at the last moment. The client remembers asking for two years, while the permit says one year, because that was decided at the application stage. So the first thing I do in any permit case is look at the "Дійсний до" field on the permit itself and set a reminder well before the renewal window opens.
My second observation concerns a change of employer. The permit term does not pass to the new employer. A new permit has its own term, and after moving to a new employer the TRP will also follow the new document.
If you want a lawyer to keep track of the deadlines, we take on work permit renewal, starting with calculating the filing window.
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
Can an ordinary employee get a work permit for three years?+
No. For an ordinary employee or a gig worker the permit term is up to two years. The law allows a longer term only for seconded workers and intra-corporate transferees.
Can the employment centre issue a permit for a shorter term than requested?+
No. The employer may state a term shorter than the maximum in the application, and the law prohibits issuing a permit for a term shorter than the one stated there.
When does the permit term start?+
From the date the permit is issued. The end of the term is shown in the "Дійсний до" (valid until) field on the permit, and the renewal window is counted from that date.
Does the residence permit term depend on the work permit term?+
Yes. A work-based temporary residence permit is issued for the period of employment stated in the work permit. A short work permit means a short residence permit and more frequent visits to the State Migration Service.
Does the fee depend on the permit term?+
Yes. The fee is calculated in subsistence minimums for able-bodied persons as of 1 January of the filing year, and the longer the term, the higher the fee. A permit for up to six months costs three subsistence minimums, six months to a year five subsistence minimums, one to two years eight subsistence minimums, and two to three years ten subsistence minimums. Renewal costs one subsistence minimum less than issue for the same term.
This article is general guidance, not individual legal advice.