UA-Residency is a private law practice, not a government body, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Government of Ukraine. Immigration permits are granted by the State Migration Service of Ukraine. We prepare and file the application and represent you before it. See our Terms and Conditions.

Ukraine’s immigration quota in 2026

As of 28 September 2026 we have found no act of the Cabinet of Ministers setting an immigration quota for 2026. Since the 2023 amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On Immigration”, a quota is no longer set every year: the Cabinet sets one only in the event of a mass arrival of immigrants. The last quota was set for 2023.

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What the law says now

Article 4 of the Law of Ukraine “On Immigration” No. 2491-III, in the wording of Law No. 3180-IX of 29 June 2023, states that an immigration permit is granted to the categories of immigrants listed in its parts two and three. It then says that, in the event of a mass arrival of immigrants in Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers sets an immigration quota on the proposal of the State Migration Service.

The Cabinet’s own Procedure for forming the immigration quota, approved by Resolution No. 1983 of 26 December 2002 and rewritten by Resolution No. 58 of 19 January 2024, matches this. Under its point 4, the Ministry of Internal Affairs submits a draft quota to the Cabinet within 30 days of the fact of a mass arrival of immigrants being established.

Before these changes the quota was set every calendar year. The last quota act we found is Cabinet of Ministers Order No. 111-r of 7 February 2023, which set a quota of 9,203 people for 2023, of whom 5,000 were in the category of highly qualified specialists and workers. We found no quota act for 2024, 2025 or 2026.

Categories within and outside the quota

Article 4 still sorts immigrants into two groups. The first group is the set of categories for which a quota may be set. The second group is always outside any quota.

Categories for which a quota may be set (Article 4, part 2)Categories always outside the quota (Article 4, part 3)
  • Figures of science and culture whose immigration meets the interests of Ukraine
  • Highly qualified specialists and workers whose acute need is significant for the economy of Ukraine, with their spouse and children under 18 entering and staying together with them
  • Persons who have made a foreign investment in the economy of Ukraine in foreign convertible currency of at least USD 100,000
  • Full siblings, grandparents and grandchildren of Ukrainian citizens
  • Former citizens of Ukraine
  • The spouse of an immigrant married for more than two years, the immigrant’s children under 18 and dependent parents
  • Victims of human trafficking after three years of continuous residence with that status
  • Persons who served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Special Transport Service or the National Guard for three years or more, or for at least one year under martial law, and those found unfit for service because of injury or illness received in service
  • Certain holders of temporary residence permits after the last five years of continuous residence on that basis
  • The spouse of a Ukrainian citizen after more than two years of marriage, and the children and parents of Ukrainian citizens
  • Spouses, children under 18 and parents of spouses of certain service members who died defending Ukraine
  • Guardians and custodians of Ukrainian citizens, and persons under the guardianship of Ukrainian citizens
  • Persons entitled to Ukrainian citizenship by territorial origin (other than former citizens)
  • Persons whose immigration is in the state interest of Ukraine
  • Foreign Ukrainians, their spouses and children entering and staying together with them
  • Stateless persons after two years of residence on a temporary residence permit from the day they were recognised as stateless

This is a summary. The exact wording and conditions of each category are in Article 4 of the Law, and the marriage-based categories are also subject to Article 4-1, which lists circumstances in which a marriage is not accepted as a ground for immigration.

What this means for permanent residence by qualification

Our permanent residence by qualification route uses the category of highly qualified specialists and workers. It depends on two separate acts.

  • The list of specialities. Article 8 of the Law requires the ministry responsible for labour migration to approve every year the list of specialities and qualification requirements whose need may be met through immigration. For 2026 the list was approved by Order of the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine No. 3663 of 3 March 2026.
  • The quota. No quota has been set for 2026, so the number of permits in this category is not capped by a quota act at the time of writing. In our practice the State Migration Service is accepting and deciding applications in these categories without a quota limit. If the Cabinet of Ministers sets a quota after a mass arrival of immigrants, a cap could apply again.

Either way, the State Migration Service decides each application on its merits. Meeting the list requirements makes you eligible to apply; it does not oblige the State Migration Service to grant the permit.

What this means for the investment route

The investment category in Article 4, part 2, point 3 of the Law covers a person who has made a foreign investment in the economy of Ukraine in foreign convertible currency of at least USD 100,000. It is one of the categories for which a quota may be set, so the same position applies: no quota act is in force for 2026 at the time of writing.

The Cabinet’s Procedure for immigration applications (Resolution No. 1983) sets how the investment is proved. The bank issues a certificate confirming receipt of the investment on the immigrant’s investment account, or the transfer of at least USD 100,000 from the immigrant’s own foreign account to the current account of the company the immigrant set up in Ukraine. The certificate is valid for six months from issue. Before deciding, the State Migration Service asks the bank whether the investment has been returned, and checks the company in the Unified State Register. Decisions in this category are taken by the State Migration Service itself, not by its regional offices.

See our investment route to permanent residence and, for setting up the company, company registration.

Price

Permanent residence by qualification

$1,500

Our fee for the eligibility check against the 2026 list, the immigration permit application and the permanent residence permit application. Details on the route page.

Investment route to permanent residence

$2,800

Our legal fee, including setting up your Ukrainian company. The USD 100,000 investment is your own money in your own company and is not part of our fee. Details on the route page. Other categories: contact us for a quote.

Paid separately: the official state fee for the immigration permit application as set by the state (we tell you the exact amount before you pay), legalisation or apostille of foreign documents, notarised translation, a medical certificate and a criminal record certificate. Where the application is filed at a Ukrainian consulate abroad, consular fees apply.

Documents and timing, in brief

The core documents are listed in Article 9 of the Law: the application, three photographs, the passport with a certified Ukrainian translation of its personal data page, a document on your place of residence in Ukraine and abroad, information on family composition and a marriage certificate if married, a medical document on the absence of the listed diseases, and the category-specific documents (for the qualification category, documents confirming that your qualification meets the approved list; for investors, the bank certificate on the investment). The Cabinet’s Procedure (Resolution No. 1983) adds documents for particular categories: for example, applicants in the qualification category need a document of support issued by the Ministry of Economy after it checks their qualification, and many other categories need a certificate of no criminal record from the country of previous residence (the qualification category is exempt from that certificate, the investment category is not). Foreign documents must be legalised or apostilled and translated into Ukrainian.

An immigrant who is granted a permit has one year from the day it is issued to apply for the permanent residence permit, which is issued within 15 working days of the documents being accepted (Article 11 of the Law).

Questions we are asked

Is there an immigration quota for Ukraine in 2026?

As of 28 September 2026 we have found no Cabinet of Ministers act setting one. Since the 2023 amendments to Article 4 of the Law “On Immigration”, a quota is set only in the event of a mass arrival of immigrants. The last quota was set for 2023 by Order No. 111-r of 7 February 2023.

Can I apply for an immigration permit without a quota?

The Law grants an immigration permit to the categories in Article 4, parts two and three, and makes the quota an instrument for a mass arrival of immigrants. Applications in the qualification and investment categories are therefore being filed without a quota act in force. The State Migration Service still decides each application.

Which categories are always outside the quota?

Among others: the spouse of a Ukrainian citizen after more than two years of marriage, children and parents of Ukrainian citizens, persons entitled to citizenship by territorial origin, foreign Ukrainians with their families, persons whose immigration is in the state interest, and certain stateless persons.

How much must I invest for the investment category?

At least USD 100,000 of foreign investment in the economy of Ukraine, made in foreign convertible currency and confirmed by a bank certificate valid for six months.

Could a quota come back?

Yes. The Cabinet of Ministers can set a quota if a mass arrival of immigrants is established. We check the position again at the moment of filing.

Tell us your category and we will check the current position

WhatsApp +380 73 728 4656 or email info@uaresidency.com

CONTACT UA-RESIDENCY

UA-Residency is the practice of Taras Guk, a licensed Ukrainian attorney in Kyiv (certificate KV No. 000685). Immigration permits and permanent residence permits are granted by the State Migration Service of Ukraine, which decides every application; we do not decide and we cannot guarantee that any application will be granted. You may apply to the State Migration Service or a Ukrainian consulate yourself and pay only the official fees. The quota position, the list of specialities and the fees are set by the Ukrainian authorities and may change without notice. See also our services.

Last updated: 28 September 2026