High Minimum Salary Requirement Introduced for Foreign Workers

The situation

A minimum salary level for foreign workers that is higher than that of the existing national minimum salary will be introduced September 27, 2017.

A closer look

Foreign employees are currently subject to a national minimum salary of UAH 3,200 (approximately USD 122) gross per month. The following minimum salary thresholds will apply for foreign nationals on or after September 27, 2017:

• Work permit and temporary residence permit applicants: ten times the minimum statutory salary, or UAH 32,000 (approximately USD 1,220) gross per month.

• Foreign employees of nongovernmental organizations, charities and educational institutions: at least five times the minimum statutory salary, or UAH 16,000 (approximately USD 610) gross per month. 

Exemptions

The following categories of foreign workers will be exempt from the minimum salary requirement:

• Graduates of top-100 universities, per specified international rankings;

• Information technology professionals employed by software development companies;

• Artists/inventors; and

• Founders, shareholders and/or owners of companies.

Consequences for employers

The new threshold will apply to work permit applications filed on or after September 27. Existing permit holders and those seeking renewals are not affected, although further transitionary regulations may be introduced for these categories.

Employers should work with their administrative department to ensure compliance with the new regulations.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].