How sportsmen can obtain a work permit in Ukraine?

We have often met cases when a person wants to come to work in Ukraine and falls under a special category of professions. Such categories also include the profession of an athlete.

We were approached both by athletes who wanted to change their club to the club in our country and by the coach who wanted to move to Ukraine to share their professional experience.

Today we will talk about how a sportsman can move to Ukraine and get a work permit or a temporary residence permit here.

Related article: Employment permit for foreigners in Ukraine: common issues and our practical experience

How can an athlete stay in Ukraine on professional basis?

First thing to do is to define whether the athlete has a status of professional sportsman or not. Why is it so important? The answer is simple: according to the Ukrainian laws professional athletes do not need a special work permit in Ukraine.

So what does this mean? That professional athletes don’t need any permission documents? Not quite right. 

According to the Law of Ukraine "On Physical Culture and Sports" conclusion of a contract with a sportsman is obligatory. This contract is a document, that allows to legally work in the field of professional sports.

Of course, such contract must contain all the details on the future work in Ukraine, professional duties and work conditions of an athlete. Our lawyers can help You with the correct contract drafting and protect Your rights during the drafting.

What does “professional athlete” mean?

You can find the definition in Ukrainian laws. In order to be called a professional sportsman, You must:

• systematically be engaged in sport activities;
• participate in sport competitions.

An athlete can gain a professional status if he:

• has a contract for participation in competitions in the field of physical culture and sports;
• occupation of professional sports must be his or her main source of income.

Related article: What to do if your work permit in Ukraine is canceled?

What to do, if athlete doesn’t have professional status?

Well, if a sportsman does not have a status of professional, he will be obliged to obtain the work permit. 

The procedure requires from the athlete’s employer to submit a package of documents to the relevant departments of the State Employment Service for obtaining a work permit in the field of sports, for example, trainers.

There is, though, another way to stay in Ukraine while participating in sport activities. If You don’t intend to receive money for such activities, You can stay in Ukraine as a volunteer under certain conditions.

For example, in the 2018, our firm received a request from the management of a local sports team to develop a plan for legalization of a US citizen’s stay in our country. He was supposed to come to Ukraine in order to share professional experience as a trainer.

As his purpose was to share professional experience and the payment for training was not provided, our lawyers offered to obtaining a residence permit in Ukraine, through participation in the activities of volunteering organizations. 

Important! The list of grounds for obtaining such a permit is exhaustive, so it is very important to form the documents in accordance to the requirements of Ukrainian laws.

In this case, we’ve prepared and submitted based on the power of attorney the relevant set of documents, and the Client was able to find himself in the relevant list of the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine on its official website in 3 days. We also have drafted an invitation for the visa D for the Client to enter into Ukraine.

Our lawyers also helped with:

• obtaining visa D;
• confirmation of financial capability of the foreigner.

As a result, a US citizen was able to stay in Ukraine as a trainer.

Related article: Obtaining the temporary residence permit in Ukraine through the charity activities

If You want to get more information on the matter, learn about possible sanctions for staying in Ukraine without permission or receive a legal help with obtaining work permit in Ukraine - call us!