What will change in Ukraine from February 1, 2026: payments, reservations, 5G and e-Housing

Important changes will come into effect in Ukraine on February 1, 2026. Learn about new booking rules, salary supplements, IDP payments, restrictions in the e-Housing program, the launch of 5G, and many other important changes

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February 2026 will bring Ukrainians a number of important changes that will affect the labor market, social support, housing programs, digital services and military legislation. The innovations will affect both individual categories of workers and internally displaced persons, families with children and military personnel.

Read more about the key changes that will come into force on February 1, 2026 in this article.

Changes in booking of military personnel

The procedure for booking employees of critical enterprises will change from February 1. In accordance with the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 1608 of December 8, 2025, until now, temporarily simplified rules were in effect, which allowed bookings through the “Diya” portal in an accelerated mode.

Within the framework of the simplified procedure, applications were considered within 24 hours. Starting from February, the system returns to the standard processing time of up to 72 hours.

The temporary mechanism for canceling the deferral of the draft “without limits” is also being terminated. Previously, heads of critical enterprises could cancel the reservation immediately after processing the previous application, without observing the pause between submissions. Now the restriction will apply again: you must wait at least five calendar days between submitting applications for cancellation.

If you have any questions about departure, mobilization or legalization abroad, contact professional migration lawyers. Get advice and avoid risks!

Additional payments to salaries for certain categories of employees

The Government of Ukraine has approved a decision on additional payments to salaries to employees involved in emergency and restoration work during the emergency situation in the energy sector. This applies to employees of enterprises regardless of their form of ownership.

An additional payment of 20 thousand hryvnias will be received, in particular, by energy workers, employees of the heat supply, gas industry, utilities and Ukrzaliznytsia. The funds will be accrued for the period from January to March 2026, and the first payments for January are expected in February.

Payments for internally displaced persons

From February 1, the state plans to resume payments for children from families of internally displaced persons. The amount of assistance will be 3 thousand hryvnias for renting housing for each child from an IDP family.

MP Serhiy Kozyr emphasized that the decision was not spontaneous and was the result of long-term work of deputies, specialized associations and government structures. According to him, these funds are vital for displaced families.

After the adoption of the relevant resolution, families will have to re-submit documents. This is due to the need to update data, as some IDPs have changed their place of residence, gone abroad or returned to temporarily occupied territories.

In addition, from February 1, the income threshold for receiving IDP payments is increasing - from 9,444 to 10,380 hryvnias. This will allow pensioners and families who previously lost the right to payments due to formal restrictions to receive assistance.

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Additional leave for military personnel released from captivity

From February 3, 2026, amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On Social and Legal Protection of Military Personnel and Members of Their Families”, signed by the President in early January, will come into force.

According to the new norms, military personnel released from captivity will be entitled to additional paid leave lasting 90 calendar days. The leave will be granted without dividing it into parts, without the need to make a decision on the continuation or termination of service at the time of its registration and with a guarantee of subsequent discharge from military service at will.

Read more about the important changes in the field of military service and social support for defenders that await Ukrainians in 2026 here.

In this article, we tell you which military personnel are entitled to financial assistance in 2026, how much will be paid and how to apply for it correctly.

Child Benefit in 2026

Since the beginning of 2026, a law on increasing “child” payments and expanding state support for families with children has come into effect in Ukraine. In particular, new types of benefits have been introduced - for caring for a child up to one year old and the “e-Nursery” program.

The Pension Fund of Ukraine reminded that parents of children who, as of January 1, 2026, were not one or three years old, respectively, are also entitled to these benefits. Child benefit for caring for a child up to one year old is assigned up to and including the month in which the child turns one year old, provided that the application is submitted in a timely manner.

Thus, in February 2026, parents of children born in January 2025 can apply for January benefits.

New restrictions in the “e-Housing” program

From February 9, updated requirements for the area of ​​housing that can be purchased under the “e-Housing” program come into effect in Ukraine. For apartments, a limit of 52.5 square meters is set for a family of one or two people with an additional 21 square meters for each additional family member, but not more than 115.5 square meters in total.

For private houses, the base area will be 62.5 square meters with a similar allowance, but not more than 125.5 square meters. Exceeding the standard area is allowed by no more than 10% only if the age of the housing does not exceed three years. For older real estate, the excess will not be allowed.

Previously, we told how the programs for purchasing primary housing "eOselya", "Domivka+", loans for youth, the program for Mariupol residents and "eVidnovlenie" work.

Expansion of the 5G network in Ukraine

Lviv became the first city where 5G technology was launched. The Ministry of Digital Transformation noted that this is only the initial stage of the large-scale implementation of fifth-generation communications.

After approvals with military structures and successful testing, the pilot project will begin to expand. By the end of January, 5G is planned to be launched in Borodyanka, and in February 2026 - in Kharkiv. In the future, the technology should also be implemented in Kyiv and Odessa.

New rules for affixing an apostille

From February 1, 2026, new rules for affixing an apostille on official documents for use abroad will come into force in Ukraine. The relevant changes were approved by order of the Ministry of Justice No. 3177/5 of November 20, 2025.

The changes provide for the digitalization of the procedure through the Electronic Register of Apostilles, reduction of the terms for considering applications, and updating the requirements for verifying signatures and seals. The cost of the service is also changing, which is now tied to the subsistence minimum for able-bodied persons (in 2026 - 3,328 hryvnias).

For individuals, the cost of an apostille will be 670 hryvnias, for legal entities - 1,160 hryvnias.

To avoid delays and mistakes in affixing an apostille, many Ukrainians seek professional help. On the Visit Ukraine platform, you can use the services of lawyers who accompany the apostille affixing process and help prepare documents in accordance with new requirements, which is especially relevant after the introduction of the Electronic Register of Apostilles.

February 2026 will be a period of important changes for Ukrainians - from updating social benefits and programs to support families and IDPs to adjusting booking rules, housing initiatives and introducing new digital services. Some of the innovations will directly affect citizens' incomes and access to state assistance, so it is worth familiarizing yourself with the updated rules and their terms of validity in advance.

Recall! January 2026 brought Ukrainians a number of important changes in various areas of life - from salaries and taxes to social benefits, vaccinations and new government programs. Read everything Ukrainians needed to know at the beginning of the year at the link.

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