Work Permit for a Foreigner
Have you found the perfect specialist for your team, but they are a citizen of another country? Congratulations! This is a great step for your business. But are the thoughts of paperwork, government offices, and permits already making your knees tremble? It’s a familiar situation. Employing a non-resident in Ukraine can seem like a real maze, where one wrong step in the documents sends you right back to the beginning. But don’t worry! The “BuhalteriO” team knows how to turn this bureaucratic marathon into a simple jog. We will take all the paperwork hassle upon ourselves.
What is a work permit and who needs it?
To put it simply, a work permit is an official “green light” from the state that allows your company to legally hire a foreigner. There is a key point here: the permit is issued to the employer, not the future employee. That is, it is your tool for attracting talent from abroad.
However, if your candidate already has a permanent residence permit in Ukraine – great! They can be hired just like a Ukrainian citizen, without any extra bureaucratic hurdles.
The permit acquisition procedure: our steps to your success
We won’t overload you with boring legal terms. We just do our job, and for you, the whole process looks as easy and clear as possible.
- Initial conversation and document “audit”. You tell us about the situation, and we analyze the documents and immediately tell you what needs to be done and how. We prepare a draft employment contract that no inspector can find fault with.
- We assemble the puzzle and take it to the officials. We form a perfect package of documents, where every comma is in its place, and we submit it to the employment center ourselves. Your presence is not required.
- Payment of the official fee. As soon as we receive a positive decision (and we will get it!), we inform you that it’s time to pay the state fee.
- We hand you the ready permit. We pick up the document and hand it to you personally, along with clear advice on what to do next.
As a result, you can calmly focus on your business and prepare the workplace for the new employee while we “push through” the permit for you in the government offices.
List of documents for employing a foreigner
Correctly prepared papers are 90% of success. Any small detail can be a reason for refusal, so we treat this stage with particular scrupulousness.
- An application from your company (we will prepare it).
- Copies of the foreigner’s passport with a notarized translation.
- A recent color photograph of your future employee (3.5×4.5 cm).
- The draft employment contract that we agreed upon with you.
- A power of attorney for our lawyers, so we can be your hands and feet in state institutions.
We will check every letter and number to ensure that officials have no reason to find grounds for refusal.
Cost of a work permit for a foreigner
Let’s talk about the most interesting part – money. We don’t hide the numbers behind seven locks, because transparency is the foundation of trust. Your expenses will consist of two parts: the official payment to the state and the cost of our services.
Cost of a work permit (as of 2025)
As of January 1, 2025, the subsistence minimum for able-bodied persons is UAH 3,028. The fee for issuing a permit depends on its validity period:
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Subsistence minimum for able-bodied persons, established by law on January 1 of the calendar year in which the employer or their authorized person submitted the documents |
PAYMENT FOR THE PERMIT The fee for issuing/extending a permit is |
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ISSUANCE |
RENEWAL (The cost of permit extension is reduced by one subsistence minimum for the able-bodied population from the cost of the permit for the corresponding period) |
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UAH 3,028.00 |
up to 6 months inclusive (3 subsistence minimums) |
UAH 9,084.00 |
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from 6 months to 1 year inclusive (5 subsistence minimums) |
UAH 15,140.00 |
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from 1 year to 2 years inclusive (8 subsistence minimums) |
UAH 24,224.00 |
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from 2 years to 3 years inclusive (10 subsistence minimums) |
UAH 30,280.00 |
Contact us, and we will prepare an exact calculation for your specific situation, without hidden fees or unpleasant “surprises.”
Processing Times
- Permit application review: up to 7 working days.
- Permit extension within the current term: up to 3 working days (even faster in the case of specialists in high demand).
- Documents must be submitted no earlier than 50 calendar days, but no later than 20 calendar days before the current permit expires.
Liability for unofficial employment of a foreigner
Such an idea might seem attractive, but believe us, the game is not worth the candle. The fine for the unofficial employment of a foreigner for a company is simply astronomical and many times exceeds the cost of legal registration. This is a case where trying to save money can turn into huge losses.
Next step: obtaining a service card and a temporary residence permit
A work permit is your ticket to the next stage. Based on it, your foreign employee can obtain a service card, and with it, a temporary residence permit. This will allow them to legally live and work in Ukraine for the entire term of the contract. And we are also ready to help with this on a “turnkey” basis. Your ideal candidate is already waiting. Don’t let paperwork delay the development of your company. Entrust this work to those who do it every day.
Call or write to us at “BuhalteriO”! The first conversation does not obligate you to anything, but it will help to sort everything out and understand how simple this process can be.