Work Permit in Ukraine for Foreigners
Updated: . Page prepared by advocate Igor Balaban
This page is mainly for foreign nationals and expats who already have a Ukrainian employer or want to understand the employment route to legal stay in Ukraine. In practical terms the route usually looks like this: employer in Ukraine → work permit → D visa where required → temporary residence permit. A work permit is not a general immigration status. It is a document issued for a specific employer, a specific position, and a specific period.
Contact us if you need to check whether this route fits your situation, what comes first in your case, what documents are needed, and how the work permit is connected with Visa D and a temporary residence permit.
Who this route is for
- foreign nationals who already have a Ukrainian employer;
- foreign founders of a Ukrainian LLC who want to work in their own company as director or employee;
- foreign nationals who need to understand how legal employment and legal stay in Ukraine are connected;
- employers who want to hire a foreign national lawfully and avoid mistakes after the permit is issued.
What a work permit does and does not do
A work permit allows a Ukrainian employer to lawfully employ a foreign national in Ukraine in a specific position, for a specific employer, and for a specific period.
A work permit does not automatically give:
- the right to live in Ukraine for more than 90 days without a separate temporary residence permit;
- the right to work for another employer without a separate or new permit;
- the right to work in a different position without proper amendments or a new permit where required;
- the right to work as a sole proprietor instead of being employed by a company;
- the right to skip the D visa stage where a D visa is required for the residence permit route.
Who does not need a work permit
Some categories of foreign nationals may work in Ukraine without a work permit. The most practical categories for this page are:
- foreign nationals with permanent residence in Ukraine;
- refugees;
- persons granted additional or temporary protection;
- certain other categories directly exempted by law.
If your situation is not standard, it is better to check it before preparing documents.
Legal support fee
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Initial work permit application | UAH 3,500 |
| Extension | UAH 3,000 |
| Amendments | UAH 2,500 |
The official state fee for issuance or extension is charged separately from our legal fee.
Official state fee in 2026
The state fee depends on the validity period of the permit and the subsistence minimum for employable persons as of 1 January of the filing year. In 2026 this base figure is UAH 3,328.
| Permit validity period | Initial application | Extension |
|---|---|---|
| up to 6 months inclusive | UAH 9,984 | UAH 6,656 |
| more than 6 months and up to 1 year inclusive | UAH 16,640 | UAH 13,312 |
| more than 1 year and up to 2 years inclusive | UAH 26,624 | UAH 23,296 |
| more than 2 years and up to 3 years inclusive | UAH 33,280 | UAH 29,952 |
Documents usually required in a standard case
- employer details: full company name and registration code;
- copy of the foreign national's passport;
- one colour photograph 3.5 × 4.5 cm;
- draft employment agreement or contract;
- notarised passport translation where required for filing.
For non-standard cases or certain categories of workers the document package may be broader.
How the process works
- We check the employer, the foreign national, and the route itself. At the start we determine whether a permit is actually required, whether there is any exemption, and whether there is enough lawful stay left in Ukraine for the next stages.
- We prepare the document package. We review the foreign national's documents, the employer's details, and prepare the application and draft employment contract.
- We file with the Employment Center. The work permit is obtained by the employer, not by the foreign national personally.
- After the decision, the state fee is paid. Then the permit is collected.
- The employment contract is signed and its copy is filed. This is one of the most important stages and one of the most common points of failure.
- If required, we move to the D visa and residence permit stage. If the foreign national plans to stay in Ukraine for more than 90 days, the work permit is followed by a D visa where required and then a temporary residence permit.
Critical deadlines after the permit is issued
- the employment agreement or contract must be signed no later than 90 calendar days from the date the permit is issued;
- a copy of the signed agreement must be filed with the Employment Center within 10 days after signing;
- if the foreign national also needs a D visa or a temporary residence permit, that stage should not be left to the last moment.
This is exactly where employers and foreign nationals most often lose an already approved result.
What employers and foreign nationals should keep in mind
- the permit is tied to a specific employer and a specific position;
- a separate permit is needed for another employer;
- if the position changes, you need to check whether amendments are enough or a new permit is required;
- the work permit does not replace the residence permit;
- the employer must comply with salary, tax, payroll, and employment obligations.
Why permits get cancelled or the process has to start again
- the employment contract was not signed within the required time;
- a copy of the signed contract was not filed after signing;
- the foreign national resigned or changed employer and the new route was not properly formalised;
- the employer failed to comply with salary and related payment obligations;
- there were mistakes in the document package or material changes were not properly formalised later.
Separate route for founders of a Ukrainian LLC
If a foreign national is the founder of a Ukrainian LLC and wants to work as director of their own company, this is no longer a simple standard employment case. The corporate, employment, and immigration stages must be built correctly together. More on this route is on the page Business Immigration to Ukraine.
Frequently asked questions
Is a work permit a ground for a temporary residence permit?
Yes. It can be used as the basis for obtaining a temporary residence permit for the same validity period as the work permit.
What comes first: the work permit or Visa D?
The work permit comes first. Then, where required, it is used to obtain a D visa, and after that the residence permit route continues.
Can I work for several companies with one permit?
No. A permit is issued for a specific employer and a specific position. A separate permit is needed for another company.
Can I work in another position for the same employer?
This must be checked separately. In some situations amendments may be enough, while in others a new permit may be required.
Do I need a work permit if I already have permanent residence in Ukraine?
No. A foreign national with permanent residence in Ukraine may work without a work permit.
Can a founder of an LLC immediately become the director of their own company?
Not as a properly formalised employee without a prior work permit. For this reason the founder route must be planned separately with the corporate stage in mind. More details are on the Business Immigration page.
Can an FOP obtain a work permit for themselves?
No. An FOP may obtain work permits for hired employees, but not for themselves personally as an FOP.
Does a work permit allow me to stay in Ukraine for more than 90 days?
No. For that, a temporary residence permit is obtained separately, and in some cases a D visa is also required first.
What happens if the foreign national resigns or changes employer?
In that situation the validity of the permit, the new employment route, and the legality of stay in Ukraine should all be checked separately, especially if the residence permit was based on this employment ground.
Can family members get residence permits as well?
In many cases family members may apply for temporary residency on the basis of family reunification. This is a separate document package and it is better to plan it in advance.
If you need more than just the work permit
- Temporary Residence Permit in Ukraine — if you need legal stay after the work permit.
- Business Immigration to Ukraine — if you want to legalise through your own LLC and employment in your own company.
- Legal Work for Foreigners in Ukraine — if you do not yet have an employer and need another practical route.
- LLC Registration in Ukraine — if the corporate stage needs to be built from zero.
Contact us if you need to obtain a work permit, check the post-issuance deadlines, understand the D visa and residence permit route, or build the correct route for a foreign founder of a Ukrainian LLC.