A petition opposing the hiring of foreign workers has been filed in Ukraine

A petition has been filed in Ukraine calling for restrictions on the hiring of foreign workers and for priority to be given to the recruitment and employment of Ukrainians. The author of the petition urges the Cabinet of Ministers to develop a “State Strategy for the Protection of the National Labor Market” instead of relying on the mass recruitment of migrant workers. 

This was reported by the Judicial and Legal Newspaper.

The document’s main proposal is to implement the “Labor Return” program, which provides guaranteed exemption from mobilization for citizens returning from abroad to work in critical sectors. The petition also calls for a ban on issuing work permits to foreigners in sectors where labor shortages can be addressed with domestic resources, and for the introduction of a higher fee for employers hiring foreign workers. It is proposed that funds from these fees be directed toward production automation and support for programs to bring Ukrainians back home.

Additionally, it is proposed to introduce exams in the Ukrainian language and history for foreign workers, as well as a mechanism for their recruitment into contract service in the defense sector. In the event of violations of the law or displays of disrespect for national values, residence and work permits should be revoked. Signatures are currently being collected for the petition, with more than three months remaining until the deadline. These initiatives arose in response to the growing labor shortage amid the ongoing war and migration trends.