While Ukraine continues to resist Russian aggression, it remains a commercially active country. A young, highly educated pool of local talent works for international companies, on-site and remotely, and the market keeps attracting foreign newcomers.

‍

‍

Since 2022, Ukrainians have had to adapt to living and doing business under martial law. Defence tech and the defence-industrial base are expanding fastest, drawing international collaboration, while the country stays one of the region’s favourite destinations for IT outsourcing. Healthcare R&D is gaining momentum, too: wartime demand has pushed healthtech startups to test and scale solutions at speed, and the number of new clinical trials has been on the rise.

‍

In this article, we explain why, and in which sectors, it is absolutely worth employing in Ukraine, what companies and NGOs need to know about relocating foreign employees to the country under martial law, and share a few recent case studies from our work as a Ukrainian-native EOR provider.

‍

‍

What are the most in-demand sectors for international employment in Ukraine?

The Ukrainian IT industry returned to steady growth after a couple of quieter years (exports grew 3.3% in 2025 and 4.1% in the first half of 2026). Meanwhile, defence tech and healthtech are moving at wartime speed, and the humanitarian sector needs local, multilingual teams. For many international employers, hiring here instead of in a similarly priced market is an act of solidarity and a smart business choice, too.

‍

‍

IT and software

IT and software remain the backbone, with over 305,000 specialists across product companies, fintech, gaming, and shared services. Ukrainian IT teams have built routines around power cuts and air raids: generators, backup internet, shelters equipped for work, as well as flexible and remote arrangements are simply the baseline. The result is delivery that still reaches clients across time zones: the US takes 36.9% of Ukraine’s IT exports, followed by Malta, the UK and the UAE.

‍

‍

Defence tech and the defence-industrial base

These are the fastest-growing sectors, particularly in autonomous systems, robotics, AI, secure communications, and cybersecurity. Ukrainian engineering teams can take a need from idea to real-world testing within weeks.

‍

‍

Healthtech and medical R&D

Wartime demand for trauma care, rehabilitation, prosthetics, and mental health has pushed startups to test and scale at speed, and new clinical trials have been rising since 2023. Working in Ukraine puts international teams in direct contact with real clinical needs, so solutions get tested fast.

‍

‍

NGOs and international organisations

NGOs hire both locally and internationally, and since October 27, 2026 the humanitarian sphere is explicitly included in the rules for critical-enterprise status. Multilingual local staff have in-depth understanding of the context and can work alongside international teams.

‍

‍

What is a reservation from mobilisation in Ukraine, and who is covered?

Reservation (бронювання) temporarily exempts men of military age, generally 25 to 60, from mobilisation if they work for a critical-status enterprise. Women are not mobilised, as their service in the Ukrainian Armed Forces is voluntary, and foreign nationals are not subject to mobilisation, so neither group needs reservation. Dual citizens are treated as Ukrainians.

‍

Important: only the legal employer holding critical-enterprise status can apply for reservation of its own staff, through the Diia portal, Ukraine’s government services platform. A client company cannot reserve an employee who is managed through an EOR; the EOR can apply only if it holds critical status itself, which is unlikely for companies providing such services.

‍

‍

Hiring in Ukraine through EOR: how it works in practice

In this section, we have collected a few recent examples of how Acvian supports companies hiring in Ukraine through the Employer of Record (EOR) service model.

‍

‍

Case 1: healthcare technology

• Who was hired: a specialist in Ukraine supporting the company’s local market operations
• The challenge: the company needed a dedicated team member in Ukraine to coordinate with local stakeholders and keep day-to-day market operations running smoothly.
• The solution: Acvian hired and employed the local specialist on the client’s behalf, handling payroll and compliance as a Ukrainian-native EOR.

‍

‍

Case 2: life sciences

• Who was hired: a Ukrainian employee assisting commercial and partner operations
• The challenge: our client needed a local team member to act as a day-to-day point of contact for its business partners and provide on-the-ground market insight.
• The solution: we onboarded the client’s hire and became their legal employer in Ukraine, taking care of payroll and compliance.

‍

‍

Case 3: renewable energy

• Who was hired: a business development specialist who relocated to Ukraine from China together with their family
• The challenge: with renewable energy and energy storage developing rapidly in Ukraine, a Chinese company needed an on-site commercial specialist to build partnerships and support the sales cycle, from first contact to post-sale support, in Ukraine and neighbouring markets.
• The solution: Acvian arranged a work permit, a visa, and a residence permit for the Chinese national and their family, and assisted with all steps of relocation.

💡 Interested in work-related relocation from China to Ukraine? Find more information in our comprehensive guide.

‍

‍

Case 4: technology startup

• Who was hired: a small team of local developers and designers in Ukraine
• The challenge: the startup needed access to skilled engineering and design talent with the right expertise at a competitive cost.
• The solution: we hired a local team on the client’s behalf, taking care of employment, payroll, and local compliance.

‍

‍

What do companies need to know about relocation of foreign employees to Ukraine?

Since February 2022, Ukraine’s civilian airspace is closed, so foreign employees travel in by land or rail, via Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, or Moldova. EU citizens can enter visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180. There is no blanket list of banned nationalities: Russian citizens need a visa, and individual entry bans apply.

‍

Standard travel insurance doesn’t always cover war-related risks, so it’s worth checking the details before foreign nationals travel to Ukraine. A local partner can guide you through suitable insurance and safety options, so that your team members arrive well-prepared.

‍

‍

Do your employees need help with relocation to Ukraine? Is your company planning to enter the Ukrainian market?

Save time, resources, and headspace. Entrust work-related immigration to a native, truly competent third party.

‍

Acvian is an Ukrainian-native EOR provider, with a multilingual team and current active projects here. We handle all administrative steps of relocation, including work permit acquisition, visa application, on-site support with registration, and visa renewal on your company’s behalf. We also manage taxes and payroll in Ukraine and ensure compliance with the local law at all stages of employment.

‍

On top of that, we offer competitive pricing and true customer care with fast response times in your preferred time zone. To get started, simply book a meeting with our expert or submit a request form.