In Ukraine, the number of work permits for foreigners has sharply decreased, although the information space increasingly speaks of a "wave of migrants". Real data shows a different picture — fewer foreigners are being attracted than before the war. This was stated by the head of the "Migration Policy Office" Vasyl Voskoboynik in a comment to UNIAN.
Work permits for foreigners: how the numbers have changed
According to the head of the "Migration Policy Office" Vasyl Voskoboynik, before the full-scale war, Ukraine actively attracted foreign workers.
«In 2021, 22 thousand permits were issued or extended. In 2025 — only 9.5 thousand. This is a reduction of 2.2 times,» the expert explained.
He emphasizes that foreigners were in Ukraine before and in much greater numbers. At the end of 2021, about 300 thousand foreigners with various statuses were residing in the country.
Labor migrants in Ukraine: why the hype arose
Despite the reduction in permits, the topic of migrants has become resonant. The expert explains this not by a real increase, but by a change in perception amid the war.
Ukraine has lost up to 30% of its economy, millions of people have gone abroad or have become internally displaced persons. According to various estimates:
5–7 million Ukrainians are abroad
another 5–6 million have become IDPs
about 500 thousand left only in the last year.
Against this backdrop, 75% of businesses report a shortage of personnel. The greatest lack of workers is in construction, agriculture, logistics, healthcare, and education.
Foreign workers: how many actually arrive
The expert emphasizes that even issued permits do not guarantee the actual arrival of people.
«From 9.5 thousand permits, about 6 thousand people can actually come,» Voskoboynik noted.
In the scale of the country, this is an insignificant number. Even tens of thousands of foreigners make up only a fraction of a percent of the population.
At the same time, attracting workers from abroad costs businesses significantly more. Costs include intermediaries, documents, flights, housing, translators, and adaptation.
It should be noted that the main rule for employing a foreigner is the need to follow a special procedure, which differs from the employment of Ukrainian citizens. A foreigner cannot work without the appropriate permit unless otherwise provided by law.