Work permit for foreigners in Ukraine – Legal support from Locman
Attracting foreign specialists is an opportunity for Ukrainian businesses to gain unique experience and expertise. However, the procedure for hiring a foreigner has its own legal nuances. The main document that legalizes this process is the permit for the use of labor of foreigners and stateless persons.
We help employers navigate this path without bureaucratic delays.
Why and who needs a work permit in Ukraine?
According to current legislation, an employer does not have the right to allow a foreigner to perform duties without a special permit from the State Employment Service.
Categories that MANDATORILY require a permit
For this group, the employer must obtain a permit from the employment center before signing the labor contract.
Foreign hired employees: persons engaged in work on the basis of standard labor contracts with Ukrainian employers.
Seconded employees: specialists sent by foreign business entities to Ukraine to perform work under international agreements.
Intra-corporate transferees: personnel transferred to a Ukrainian subdivision or representative office within one multinational corporation.
Persons in the process of recognition as refugees: foreigners who are at the stage of processing refugee status (or the status of a person in need of additional protection), as well as those contesting a decision to refuse the processing of documents for resolving the issue of recognition as a refugee or a person in need of additional protection.
Applicants for stateless person status: persons who have applied for recognition as a stateless person, and persons contesting a decision to refuse recognition as a stateless person.
Foreign students and graduates: persons who arrived in Ukraine for the purpose of studying at higher education institutions and intend to pursue labor activities in Ukraine during the period of study and after graduation, provided they are employed no later than 30 calendar days before the completion of studies.
Obtaining a permit grants the right to:
Officially pay wages to a foreign employee;
Obtain a temporary residence permit in Ukraine for the foreigner (on the basis of employment).
Avoid fines, which in 2026 amount to significant sums for each unregistered employee (warning and/or a fine in the amount of 10 minimum wages).
Stages of obtaining a work permit
The application procedure consists of several key steps:
1. Preparation of documents
employer’s application
certified copy of the passport
photo of the foreigner or stateless person sized 3.5 x 4.5 cm
draft labor contract
receipt for payment of the administrative fee
other additional documents for certain categories of persons
2. Submission of documents
The package is submitted to the relevant authority in person, by mail, or through the employer’s electronic cabinet on the official website of the State Employment Service.
3. Application review
Review of the application lasts up to 7 working days. If grounds for clarification or correction of documents arise, the employment center may temporarily suspend the review of the application for up to 7 working days — for an application to obtain a permit; up to 3 working days — for an application to renew a permit or make changes. During this period, the applicant is given time to eliminate the identified deficiencies.
4. Obtaining the permit
The employer receives an official permit for the employment.
5. Signing the labor contract
After receiving the permit form, the employer is obliged to sign a labor contract with the employee within 90 calendar days and provide its certified copy to the relevant employment center within a 10-day period.
Amount of the fee for issuing a work permit
Validity period of the permit
Fee amount (in subsistence minimums)
Amount to be paid in 2026 (UAH)
Up to 6 months
3 subsistence minimums
9,984 UAH
From 6 months to 1 year (inclusive)
5 subsistence minimums
16,640 UAH
From 1 to 2 years
8 subsistence minimums
26,624 UAH
From 2 to 3 years
10 subsistence minimums
33,280 UAH
Why should you contact our specialists?
We work individually with each situation, considering the foreigner’s citizenship, grounds for employment, processing times, and the specifics of the company’s activities.
Our advantages:
practical experience in processing work permits for foreigners;
prompt preparation of documents and support of the process;
communication with the employment center and support at all stages;
consultations on subsequent processing of the residence permit;