Guide · Hiring

How does an employer in Ukraine hire a foreign national in 2026?

Published 22 October 2026 · facts checked against the primary sources on 22 October 2026 · Ukraine For ALL, Kyiv

Some guides online still quote the permit fee in minimum wages. The current text of Law No. 5067-VI sets it in subsistence minimums and ties it to the permit term. Every figure below comes from the law as published on the Verkhovna Rada portal on 22 October 2026, with 2026 amounts from the State Budget Law for 2026.

Who needs a permit and who is exempt

The permit belongs to the employer. A foreign national who works for two employers needs a permit from each of them (Law No. 5067-VI, Art. 42(2)). Two exceptions inside one employer: part-time work for the same employer within the term of the main permit, and covering for an absent colleague for up to 60 calendar days a year (Art. 42(2) and 42(3)).

Article 42(6) lists the people an employer hires without a permit:

• foreign nationals who permanently reside in Ukraine;
• refugees and holders of an immigration permit;
• persons granted complementary or temporary protection in Ukraine;
• staff of branches and representative offices of foreign legal entities;
• accredited foreign media staff;
• professional athletes, artists and art workers working in their field;
• emergency rescue workers on urgent work;
• participants of international technical assistance projects;
• teachers and researchers invited by Ukrainian higher and professional pre-higher education institutions;
• other cases set by law or by treaties ratified by the Verkhovna Rada.

Positions that by law require Ukrainian citizenship stay closed to foreign nationals (Art. 42(5)). For citizens of Russia, Belarus and other states recognised as a threat to Ukraine, the permit is issued only with the approval of the regional Security Service office (Art. 42(1)).

If your company is a foreign legal entity that has not yet set up in Ukraine, staff of its branch or representative office are hired without a permit. The procedure is in how to register a representative office in Ukraine.

Permit categories and terms

The employer may ask for a shorter term than the law allows, and the permit is then issued for the term in the application (Art. 42-3(3)).

Documents the employer files

For a new permit, Article 42-2(1) requires:

• an application on the official form, in which the employer confirms that the position needs neither Ukrainian citizenship nor state secret clearance;
• copies of the passport pages with personal data and a certified Ukrainian translation;
• a colour photo of 3.5 × 4.5 cm;
• a draft employment contract or gig contract certified by the employer (for hired workers);
• for seconded workers, a copy of the foreign trade contract and proof of employment with the foreign employer;
• for intra-corporate transferees, the foreign company's transfer decision and the Ukrainian employment contract;
• proof of payment of the permit fee (Art. 42-2(3)).

The employer or its authorised representative files the package on paper or electronically: in person, by registered post with a list of contents, through the employer's online account on the employment authority's website, at an administrative services centre (CNAP), or through the Diia portal where available (Art. 42-2(4)).

Fees in 2026

The subsistence minimum for able-bodied persons is UAH 3,328 from 1 January 2026 (State Budget Law for 2026, No. 4695-IX, Art. 7). The fee uses the value set on 1 January of the year the documents are filed. An extension costs one subsistence minimum less than a new permit for the same term. If the permit is refused, the fee returns to the employer's account within 10 working days (Art. 42-4(2)).

Deadlines

• New permit: decision within seven working days of registering the application (Art. 42-6(1)).
• Extension or change: within three working days.
• When to apply for an extension: between 50 and 20 calendar days before the permit expires (Art. 42-6(2)). An application filed outside this window is a ground for refusal (Art. 42-9(1)(2)).
• Citizens of Russia, Belarus and other states recognised as a threat: the term runs until the Security Service gives or refuses its approval.

Obligations after the permit is issued

• Pay the unified social contribution. If the register shows no contribution for the foreign employee within two months of the employment contract date, the authority revokes the permit (Art. 42-10(2)(10)). After a revocation on this ground, new applications from the same employer are refused for one year (Art. 42-9(1)(5)).
• Keep to the permit. Work on other terms or at another employer is a ground for revocation (Art. 42-10(2)(6)).
• Ask for revocation when the job ends. The employer must apply to revoke the permit when the employment contract or the foreign trade contract ends (Art. 42-10(1)).

Fines

The fines use the minimum wage at the moment the violation is found, UAH 8,647 a month from 1 January 2026 (State Budget Law for 2026, Art. 8). An unpaid fine is collected through the court after one month (Art. 53(10)).

Employer of record or your own entity

A company without a Ukrainian entity can use an employer-of-record provider. The provider signs the employment contract, so under Article 42 the provider is the employer and needs its own permit for a foreign employee. The alternatives are a Ukrainian LLC, covered in how a foreigner registers a company in Ukraine, and a branch or representative office, whose staff are hired without a permit. Hiring Ukrainian specialists is covered in how to hire Ukrainian developers legally, and every procedure is in the guides hub.

Frequently asked questions

Does an employer in Ukraine need a permit to hire a foreigner?

Yes, as a rule. Under Article 42 of Law No. 5067-VI on Employment of the Population, employers may use the labour of foreign nationals and stateless persons on the basis of a permit issued by the territorial body of the state employment and labour migration authority. Each employer needs its own permit. Article 42(6) lists the groups hired without a permit, such as permanent residents, refugees, persons under temporary protection and staff of branches or representative offices of foreign companies.

How much does a work permit for a foreigner cost in Ukraine in 2026?

The fee depends on the permit term and is set in subsistence minimums for able-bodied persons, UAH 3,328 in 2026: UAH 9,984 for up to six months, UAH 16,640 for six to twelve months, UAH 26,624 for one to two years and UAH 33,280 for two to three years. Extending a permit costs one subsistence minimum less (Law No. 5067-VI, Art. 42-4; State Budget Law for 2026, Art. 7).

How long does it take to get a work permit in Ukraine?

The employment authority decides on a new permit within seven working days of registering the application, and on an extension or change within three working days. For citizens of Russia, Belarus and other states recognised as a threat to Ukraine, the term runs until the regional Security Service office gives or refuses its approval (Art. 42-6).

What is the fine for employing a foreigner without a work permit in Ukraine?

Twenty minimum wages for each person, UAH 172,940 at the 2026 minimum wage of UAH 8,647. Employing a foreigner on terms other than those in the permit, or at another employer, costs ten minimum wages per person, UAH 86,470 (Law No. 5067-VI, Art. 53(5); State Budget Law for 2026, Art. 8).

For how long is a Ukrainian work permit issued?

For the term of the employment contract or gig contract, up to two years, for hired foreign workers. Seconded foreign workers and intra-corporate transferees can get up to three years. The employer may ask for a shorter term (Art. 42-3).