Ukraine is a country located in eastern Europe; the second largest on the continent after Russia. A fully independent Ukraine emerged only late in the 20th century, after long periods of successive domination by Poland-Lithuania, Russia, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.). Ethnic Ukrainians make up more than three-fourths of the population. Russians continue to be the largest minority.
*Please note that the official currency is the currency of remuneration when employed through WorkMotion in Ukraine.
Capital : Kyiv (Kiev) | Currency : Hryvnia (UAH, ₴) | Languages spoken : Ukrainian |
Population : 43.81 million (2021 est.) | Minimum wage 2023 : 6,700 UAH Monthly | Cost of Living index : $ (121 of 139 countries) |
Payroll Frequency : Bi-monthly | VAT - standard rate : 20% (with exceptions) | GDP - real growth rate : 3.4% (2021 est.) |
The national holidays mentioned below are valid for the year 2023.
The approximate time for sharing the contract with an employee in Ukraine is 5 business days assuming no special requests or changes to our standard employment contract. Any such requests or changes would need to undergo internal and external review, directly leading to a time delay.
NOTE: This number is subject to change and is only an estimation of the Contract Sharing Time. The estimated Contract Sharing Time begins from the moment that WorkMotion has received all required information from both the client and the employee.
Pensionable age is reduced for hero mothers defined to include mothers of five or more children, those who responded to the Chernobyl incident, or who have cared for congenitally disabled children.
Employers need to make one comprehensive monthly contribution that equals 22% of payroll to a unified social insurance fund.
WorkMotion will offer a €200 discount per month for every Talent hired in our entity until the end of July 2023 (with a minimum of €300/Month/Talent).
The normal working hours of employees may not exceed 40 hours per week. Employees are entitled to rest breaks not exceeding two hours. A break is not included in working time. In general, a rest break will be provided four hours after the beginning of work.
The employer may use overtime work only in exceptional cases. Overtime work should not exceed four hours for each employee for two consecutive days and 120 hours per year. On weekdays, overtime pay is calculated at double the hourly wage. It cannot be compensated by providing an additional day of rest. Working on days of rest is paid at double the hourly wage or by providing another day of rest in lieu.
The probationary period for employment, unless otherwise provided by the legislation of Ukraine, may not exceed three months, and in some cases, in agreement with the relevant elected body of the primary trade union organization – six months. The probationary period for hiring workers may not exceed one month.
| Condition | Notice Period |
| By the employee | Within 2 weeks |
| By the employer during probation | 3 days |
| By the employer | 2 months |
Annual basic leave is granted to employees for at least 24 calendar days for the completed working year, which is calculated from the date of conclusion of the employment contract. Persons under 18 years of age are granted 31 days’ annual leave while certain other categories of workers, like those employed in hazardous conditions, may also be given additional days as per regulations. Further, participants in hostilities, victims of the Revolution of Dignity, persons with disabilities as a result of war, and some other categories of employees are provided with additional leave with pay lasting 14 calendar days a year.
The government pays for the entire Sick Benefits with no contribution required from the employer apart from the first five days of the sick leave. After four months of sick leave, the employee may be terminated. The sick leave is provided on the basis of a valid medical certificate.
After the maternity leave period ends, mothers/fathers/grandparents can take parental leave until the child reaches the age of three years old. Funding for child care until the child reaches the age of three, is provided by state social insurance funds.
One-time paid leave at the birth of a child lasting up to 14 calendar days (excluding holidays and non-working days) is provided to only one of the following employees, namely::
This leave is fully paid for by the employer.
On the basis of a medical opinion, women are granted a paid maternity leave of the following duration:
| Event | Days | Other Conditions |
| Before childbirth | 70 calendar days | |
| After childbirth | 56 calendar days | 70 calendar days – in case of birth of two or more children and in case of complications of childbirth), starting from the day of childbirth.. |
| Total | 126 | 140 |
90 days before and 90 days after the expected date of childbirth are provided for women injured in the Chernobyl disaster.
Funding for maternity benefits is provided from the state social insurance funds.
A one-time paid leave of 14 days is given to the birth father or the partner living with the mother. A person who has received leave at the birth of a child is obliged to provide the employer with proof of birth within 30 calendar days from the date of such leave.
A person who has adopted a child from among orphans or children deprived of parental care is granted a one-time paid leave in connection with the adoption of a child lasting 56 calendar days (70 calendar days – for the adoption of two or more children). Adoptive or birth parents with a disabled child are to be provided with 10 additional annual paid leave.
Creative leave is granted to employees to complete dissertations, write textbooks, and in other cases provided by law. Vacation for training and participation in competitions is provided to employees who participate in national and international sports competitions. The duration, procedure, and conditions for granting and paying for these leave is established by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. For the period of trade union training, elected employees are provided with additional paid leave lasting up to six calendar days. This leave is paid for by the employer entirely.
Employees who receive general secondary education, vocational education,, higher education, and diploma training are provided additional leave.
Due to family circumstances and other reasons, the employee may be granted unpaid leave for a period stipulated in the agreement between the employee and the owner or their authorized body, but not more than 15 calendar days per year.
Leave without pay at the request of the employee is granted in a mandatory manner for many reasons including marriage, death of relatives, persons with disabilities, among others ranging from three to 60 days in a year.
Employers need to make one comprehensive monthly contribution that equals 22% of payroll to a unified social insurance fund that covers pension, accident, temporary disability, and unemployment benefits. Employees do not make any contributions.
There is no statutory state health insurance for employees or any employer contributions. Government health providers offer medical services directly to patients. Benefits include preventive, general, specialist, dental, and maternity care, hospitalization, laboratory services, and transportation.
The 22% of the contribution made for social security by employers includes the contribution made for work injuries. The beneficiary must be assessed with a work injury or occupational disease. Permanent and temporary disability benefits, survivor benefits, and a death grant are paid to beneficiaries.
Unemployed people are supported by the USC mentioned in the statutory benefits section. This mainly consists of unemployment benefits and training programs, which aim to help individuals gain new qualifications and find new employment.
The beneficiary must have:
The old-age pension is for beneficiaries of age 60 with at least 35 years of coverage (men) or age 60 (women) with at least 30 years of coverage. The retirement age of 50 years is set for hero-mothers who have raised five or more children, five to 10 years prior to pensionable age mothers who have cared for congenitally disabled children miners, and persons who responded to the Chernobyl accident and those equated to them.
It is also possible to receive a partial or deferred pension in certain conditions.
The contribution is made under the universal social security contribution mentioned in the statutory benefits section. It is paid when an employee, student, unemployed person, or their dependent; or a pensioner including a military pensioner, dies.
The information contained in this Country Guide is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter. The contents of this Country Guide contain general information and may not reflect current legal developments or address your situation. You should not act or refrain from acting on the basis of any content included in this Country Guide without seeking the advice or representation of a licensed attorney. WorkMotion Software GmbH disclaims all liability for actions you take or fail to take based on any content included in this Country Guide.
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