Migrants and the Labor Market in Ukraine 2026: Real Numbers, Legal Rules and Disinformation

Ukraine faces a labor shortage, not an “invasion of migrants,” in 2026. Find out how many foreigners have actually received work permits, how their employment is regulated, and why this topic has become a convenient tool for Russian disinformation

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In the spring of 2026, Ukrainian social networks and Telegram channels were flooded with a wave of alarming content: “migrants are leaving by the millions”, “foreigners are taking jobs”, “Ukrainians are being replaced”. The publications spread like wildfire – with emotional headlines, AI-generated videos and clear signs of a coordinated campaign. But what do the real statistics say about labor migration in Ukraine – and why has this topic become a convenient tool for information warfare? Finance.ua conducted its own editorial research on this topic, and we analyzed its findings.

How many foreigners work in Ukraine in 2026?

The best way to check the loud statements is to look at the numbers. According to the State Employment Center, from January 1 to May 1, 2026, 3,554 permits for the employment of foreigners and stateless persons were issued in Ukraine. In Kyiv, where there is a significant shortage of personnel, only about 790 permits for the use of foreign labor were issued in the first quarter of 2026.

In contrast, in 2021, foreigners in Ukraine received about 22 thousand work permits. In 2025, 9.6 thousand of them were issued. That is, even after a certain recovery, the labor migration market remains half the pre-war level.

There is another important nuance: if in 2025, employment centers issued 9,574 permits for the use of foreign labor, then only 4,975 people received temporary residence permits under these permits. That is, about half of those for whom permits were issued actually arrived in Ukraine and were legalized.

The total number of foreigners temporarily staying in Ukraine is about 48 thousand - this is 3.9 times less than before the full-scale invasion. Separately, about 303 thousand foreigners with permanent residence permits live in the country, and this figure has hardly changed - mostly these are people who moved due to family reunification.

That is, the volume of labor migration in 2026 is far from the fact that "millions of migrants are arriving in Ukraine".

Where do labor migrants come from to Ukraine?

The largest number of permits in 2026 were received by citizens of India - 501 people, Azerbaijan - 203, Pakistan - 191. Other countries also include the United Kingdom, Slovenia, Tunisia and Uzbekistan.

Also read how many citizens of India and Bangladesh are already working in Ukraine and in which sectors they are most often employed.

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Why are Ukrainian employers looking for foreign workers at all?

The key problem of the labor market is the shortage of personnel. Mobilization, forced emigration of millions of citizens, demographic losses and reduction of the working population have created large gaps that businesses cannot fill on their own. The most acute shortages are recorded in:

- construction;

- transport and logistics;

- medicine;

- industry;

- the service sector.

Against this background, foreign workers mostly fill vacancies for which there is a lack of candidates within the country, rather than “crowding out” Ukrainians from the mass labor market. For many companies, attracting foreign workers has become one of the ways to support business operations in conditions of staff shortages and wartime.

How did the topic of the “mass influx of migrants” go viral in Ukraine?

The Center for Countering Disinformation reported on a wave of artificially generated content about “migrants in Ukraine,” which was massively replicated by bots and viral accounts. The first videos had signs of AI generation, but they were actively picked up by ordinary users for the sake of coverage.

According to the assessment of Ukrainian strategic communications bodies and media literacy experts, the Russian information machine is increasingly not inventing completely new stories, but taking real local problems - shortage of personnel, individual cases of employment of foreigners - and inflating them to the scale of a "nationwide threat".

The most effective thing here is not "secret information", but a combination of several emotional narratives: "the authorities are betraying", "Ukrainians are being replaced", "the country is losing its identity". The basis is fear, presented in a xenophobic wrapper.

So we can say that in 2026 the shortage of personnel in Ukraine is real, but the panic regarding labor migrants is artificial.

Who can get a work permit in Ukraine?

In 2026, a work permit is usually issued for a foreigner who has a specific employer and an employment contract. A foreigner cannot independently issue a permit “without an employer”: the procedure is tied to a specific vacancy and employer.

Separate conditions are provided for IT specialists, representatives of creative professions, graduates of universities from the world's top 100, intra-corporate transfers in international companies and some categories of highly qualified specialists.

How does the employment system for foreigners in Ukraine work?

Step 1 - The employer receives a permit at the employment center.

Read here about who among the foreigners does not need a work permit in Ukraine.

Step 2 - The foreigner issues a long-term visa of type D-04 (if it is required for entry).

Step 3 – After entry, a temporary residence permit is issued, which legalizes the stay for the period of the employment contract.

Step 4 – The residence address must be registered within the established period.

Important! The permit is issued for a specific employer. Changing the place of work requires a new permit; moving without re-issuing documents may lead to the cancellation of the permit.

Myths about a work visa to Ukraine that harm foreigners at the link.

How much does a foreign worker earn in Ukraine?

One of the popular manipulations is the claim that migrants are “guaranteed” a salary of $850. In fact, this is the minimum wage threshold for most categories of foreign workers. According to Ukrainian legislation, the minimum salary for a foreign worker must be at least 10 minimum wages. From January 1, 2026, the minimum wage in Ukraine is UAH 8,647, i.e. the threshold for a foreigner is about UAH 86,470 per month.

Fines and taxes

For allowing a foreigner to work without a permit, a legal entity may receive a fine in the amount of 20 minimum wages for each employee, which as of the beginning of 2026 exceeds UAH 172,000 for each case.

Standard taxation: 18% personal income tax + military duty - the same as for other employees.

Read more about the obligations of Ukrainian employers and foreign employees here.

What should a foreign employee check before employment in Ukraine?

The most dangerous mistake is to agree to oral agreements. Without a written employment contract, a person actually loses social guarantees and the ability to effectively protect his rights.

Before starting work, you should check:

1. Work permit – this is the basis for obtaining a temporary residence permit.

2. Certificate and address registration – without registration of stay, it can be considered improperly executed.

3. Original documents – a passport cannot be handed over to the employer “for storage”; this is one of the classic signs of labor exploitation.

4. An intermediary’s license, if an employment agency is used.

Illegal employment is dangerous not only with fines. An employee may not be paid a salary, be forced to work overtime or be threatened with deportation in the event of a conflict. Any offer to “work first without registration” is a serious risk signal.

Legal employment of a foreigner in Ukraine is a protection for both the employee and the employer. Visit Ukraine lawyers support the process from selecting a visa strategy and preparing documents for the employment center to drawing up an employment contract and temporary residence permit.

The team works with both foreign specialists looking for work in Ukraine and Ukrainian companies that want to hire foreign workers without the risk of fines. Since each situation is individual, the optimal solution is a personal consultation instead of a template set of documents.

Contact Visit Ukraine lawyers and get professional advice to draw up all the documents correctly the first time.

Ukraine did not become a country of mass labor immigration in 2026. Real figures indicate a moderate and controlled level of attraction of foreign workers, while the main challenge for the economy remains the shortage of personnel. That is why the discussion about labor migration should be based on facts, law and labor market needs, and not on emotions or viral posts on social networks.

Let us remind you! With the beginning of June, several important changes come into force in Ukraine. New rules for booking employees, deadlines for digitizing work books, completion of the main session of the National Labor Relations Board, recalculation of pensions and updating state programs can affect millions of citizens. We tell you about the most important innovations of the month in this article.

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