The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has submitted Draft Law No. 14211 to the Verkhovna Rada, which proposes to comprehensively update the rules for the employment of foreigners and stateless persons. This refers to a reform aimed at harmonizing Ukrainian legislation with EU practices and eliminating excessive bureaucracy, which currently complicates the attraction of foreign specialists.

Single Permit Instead of Two Procedures
Currently, a foreigner wishing to work in Ukraine must obtain two separate documents: a permit for the employment of a foreigner; and a temporary residence permit. The draft law provides for the replacement of this two-step procedure with a single permit, which will simultaneously confirm the right to stay and carry out labor activities.
This approach should shorten processing times and simplify interaction between the employer, the foreigner, and state bodies.

Unified State Web Portal for Employment of Foreigners
With the aim of digitizing processes, it is proposed to create a specialized state web portal where employers will be able to post vacancies open to foreigners or stateless persons.
A foreign candidate, having received an offer from an employer, will submit an application for a single permit specifically through this online portal. The authorized body responsible for reviewing applications will be the State Migration Service, which will work in cooperation with other authorities to verify the submitted data.
A positive decision will serve as the basis for issuing a visa and subsequent entry into Ukraine. Upon arrival, the foreigner provides original documents and their biometric data, after which a permit confirming the granted single permit is issued to them.

Categories of Foreigners with Free Access to the Labor Market
The draft law also defines groups of foreigners who will have free access to the Ukrainian labor market and will not require a separate permit for employment. Simplified conditions for obtaining temporary residence permits will be provided for them. This refers, in particular, to foreign specialists of certain professions, highly qualified specialists, or persons who have the right to work in Ukraine on the basis of international treaties.

Changes to Existing Laws
To implement the proposed innovations, amendments are planned to the following laws of Ukraine:
“On Employment of the Population” — regarding the regulation of foreigners’ access to the Ukrainian labor market;
“On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons” — regarding the procedure for issuing permits and residence permits;
“On the Unified State Demographic Register” — with the aim of adapting procedures for issuing new-style documents.

Significance of the Draft Law for the Ukrainian Labor Market
The Ukrainian market continues to experience a shortage of blue-collar and technical personnel, as well as specialists of certain qualifications. In this period, simplifying procedures for attracting foreign labor can become an important tool for supporting business, strengthening competition, and stabilizing the personnel situation. According to the results of sociological research, the majority of Ukrainian employees do not plan to change jobs but are ready to consider an alternative under conditions of a salary increase. Under such conditions, the ability to attract foreign specialists will allow employers to partially compensate for the personnel deficit.