Ukraine issued more work permits to foreign employees in 2025 than in the previous year, according to demographer Ella Libanova. The number rose from around six thousand permits in 2024 to about nine thousand in 2025.
The increase has drawn attention because Ukraine faces serious demographic and labor market pressure during the war. Businesses in many sectors are short of workers, and the topic of foreign labor is becoming more visible in public debate.
Not a record, but a signal
Libanova emphasized that current figures are still far below the pre-war level. In 2021, Ukraine issued about twenty two thousand work permits to foreigners. That means the recent growth is not a record, but it does point to gradual reopening of labor channels.
Foreign employees were present in the Ukrainian labor market before the full-scale war, but today their role is discussed differently. The country needs workers for recovery, production, services and logistics, while many Ukrainians remain displaced, mobilized or abroad.
The policy question is how to combine legal migration, employer demand and protection of workers’ rights. If Ukraine wants to attract foreign labor without social tension, permits, adaptation support and transparent employment rules will become more important.
