The process of obtaining a permanent residence permit for an IT specialist can be divided into several stages:
- obtaining approval from the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine;
- obtaining an immigration permit to Ukraine;
- obtaining a permanent residence permit;
- registration of the place of residence in Ukraine (domicile).
Before applying for an immigration permit, a foreign IT specialist shall receive special approval from the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine. Ukrainian legislation provides an exhaustive list of IT professions and positions that can be the basis for obtaining permanent residence. Specific requirements are set for each of these positions, such as experience in the field, higher education, etc. Therefore, the first step in the procedure of obtaining permanent residence is to receive confirmation of the qualification level. That is whether a particular employee complies with the requirements of the relevant IT position.
In particular, the employee shall meet the basic and one of the additional requirements (there are several). A mandatory requirement for IT specialists is experience in the relevant profession, which can be confirmed by the employment record book, service contracts, etc. Additional requirements include higher education, an income of $ 24,000 for the previous calendar year, knowledge and ability to work with certain computer programs, and so on.
It should be emphasized that documents issued abroad shall be properly legalized (for example, by affixing an “Apostille” stamp) and translated into Ukrainian.
After obtaining the above-mentioned approval, a foreign IT professional can apply to the State Migration Service for obtaining an immigration permit. It should also be noted that an immigration permit based on this legal ground is grated within quota. Each year, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine determines the maximum number of foreigners who can apply for permanent residence on the basis of IT specialty.
This fact also affects the number of documents required to obtain an immigration permit. In particular, a foreigner shall, among other documents, undergo a medical examination in Ukraine to confirm that the person is not suffering from chronic alcoholism, substance abuse, drug addiction, or infectious diseases. Also, a foreigner shall provide the migration service with a certificate of no criminal record issued by the country of one`s citizenship.
Again, we remind you of the need to legalize and translate foreign documents.
Consideration of documents by the migration service may take up to one year. That is why the fact of applying for an immigration permit is a ground to extend the staying of a foreigner in Ukraine. The nuance is that during such an extension, a person cannot leave Ukraine. If one needs to travel abroad, after obtaining an immigration permit, a foreigner can apply for a visa type “D” in order to obtain a permanent residence permit.
Therefore, the next step is to apply for a permanent residence permit (ID-card). This document is issued within 15 business days and is valid for 10 years (renewable).
The last step in the process of immigration to Ukraine is the registration of the place of residence (domicile). As a general rule, a foreigner shall register one`s place of residence within 30 days after receiving a permanent residence permit. Otherwise, such a foreigner will be held administratively liable.
Immigration to Ukraine for an IT professional can be a real challenge due to the need to obtain a large number of documents and go through many stages. You should be very careful when preparing documents, since in case of inaccuracies, you may be denied in obtaining Ukrainian documents, and you can re-submit an application for an immigration permit only a year after.
