On 22 October 2026 Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy and Environment published a draft Cabinet resolution for a pilot project. The State Employment Centre would publish, by 31 December each year, a list of shortage professions and qualification requirements for immigrants. A foreign specialist in a listed profession would apply to have their qualification confirmed. The Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Digital Transformation and the Security Service (SBU) would check the file. A positive decision leads to the ministry’s support document for an immigration permit. The draft is not in force. For a Pakistani worker the route today is still the employer’s work permit, then a Type D visa, then a residence card.
What the draft resolution proposes
The draft resolution concerns the immigration permit for “highly qualified specialists and workers urgently needed by Ukraine’s economy”, one of the categories in Article 4 of the Law “On Immigration”. An immigration permit is the basis for permanent residence. It is a different document from the work permit. The draft sets out:
- A yearly list. Employers, ministries and regional employment centres send their staffing needs by 1 October. The State Employment Centre names the shortage professions and publishes the list of professions and qualification requirements by 31 December.
- An application with four kinds of documents. A free-form application, your education document, proof of work experience in the profession, and proof of a job in Ukraine: a contract, an official job offer or another agreement with an employer.
- Three ways to file. On paper in person or by post, by email, or through the Diia portal and app once that is technically possible.
- Security and education checks. The State Employment Centre sends requests to the Ministry of Education and Science (education documents), the Ministry of Digital Transformation (IT professions) and the SBU (threats to national security and public order). Each answers within 10 calendar days.
- A pilot with an end date. It runs during martial law and three months after it ends, for no longer than two years from the resolution’s entry into force.
- 1 · ListShortage professionsPublished by 31 December
- 2 · ApplicationDiploma, work record, job offerGaps: 5 working days to fix
- 3 · ChecksEducation, IT, SBU security10 calendar days
- 4 · DecisionState Employment Centre5 calendar days
- 5 · SupportMinistry letter for the immigration permit10 calendar days
After step 5 the State Migration Service decides on the immigration permit itself. Deadlines as written in the draft of 22 October 2026; they can change before adoption.
Today’s rule and the draft, side by side
The draft also rewrites paragraph 4 of the Cabinet’s immigration procedure (Resolution No. 1983 of 26 December 2002). The comparative table shows the change:
| Point | Today (para. 4) | Draft of 22 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Who checks the qualification | Ministry of Economy | State Employment Centre |
| Deadline | One month | 20 calendar days for the decision, then 10 calendar days for the ministry’s support document |
| Benchmark | “Urgently needed” specialists, no published list | The list of professions and requirements for the current year |
| Grounds for refusal | Not listed in para. 4 | Profession not on the list; documents fall short of the requirements; SBU information on a threat; false or incomplete documents |
After a refusal the draft lets you file again once the reason is fixed.
What it means for a Pakistani specialist
The draft sets no nationality conditions. Three points decide whether it helps you:
- Your profession has to be on the list. The State Employment Centre compiles the list every year by 31 December; the draft sets no date for the first one. Until it is published, any promise that your trade qualifies is a guess.
- Your papers have to be legalised and translated. Documents issued abroad must be legalised unless a treaty says otherwise, and translated into Ukrainian with a notarised translator’s signature. For Pakistani documents that usually means HEC attestation, then the MoFA apostille; see why the apostille comes before the translation. For a regulated profession that requires at least a bachelor’s degree, you also need Ukraine’s certificate recognising your foreign diploma.
- A real employer is still in the picture. The application needs a contract, an official offer or another agreement with a Ukrainian employer. Check that company before you send anything.
The immigration permit and the work permit are separate procedures. If you plan to come to work, the employer’s work permit route applies today; our Ukraine work permit visa for Pakistani workers page sets out the documents and fees. The difference between a residence card and permanent residence is explained in TRP vs permanent residence.
Is your profession likely to qualify, and which route fits you now? A lawyer-checked written assessment of your lawful route costs $99 and arrives within 3 working days.
Status on 8 November 2026
The ministry asked for comments within 15 days of publication, in its consultation notice of 22 October 2026. On 8 November 2026 the draft’s page on the ministry website returned “page not found”, while the draft, the explanatory note and the comparative table could still be downloaded. The rules change only after the Cabinet adopts a resolution and it is officially published, and the text can change on the way.
Treat any offer to put you “on the shortage list” for a fee as a warning sign. The first list has yet to be published. Under the draft, the State Employment Centre compiles it from employers’ and ministries’ data, and applications go to the State Employment Centre itself; the draft gives intermediaries no role in either step. See how to check if a work permit is real.
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Official sources
Know your route under today’s rules.
Eligibility assessment, $99: a written note on your lawful route within 3 working days. Have an offer already? Employer verification, $199, checks the company in the state register, tax and court records in 2–3 working days.
This is a draft resolution published for public comment; its text can change before adoption. Checked against the ministry’s draft documents on 8 November 2026. Permit and visa decisions rest solely with the Ukrainian authorities. Check current travel advisories before you travel to Ukraine.