Ukrainian work permits are employer-sponsored. You cannot apply for a Ukrainian work permit yourself. The Ukrainian employer must apply to the State Employment Service (DSZ) on your behalf, publish the vacancy domestically for 30 calendar days, demonstrate that no qualified Ukrainian national applied for the position, and only then sponsor a foreign worker. This means finding a legitimate Ukrainian employer is not just the first step — it is the prerequisite for the entire immigration pathway to be legally possible.
A fake employer cannot sponsor a real work permit. A fake work permit cannot support a real visa. An illegal entry or a fabricated document chain ends in deportation, an entry ban, and in some cases criminal charges. The employer question is foundational.
Where Legitimate Ukrainian Employers Are NOT
Before covering where real opportunities exist, it is more useful to establish where they reliably do not:
- WhatsApp messages to Bangladeshi phone numbers — Ukrainian employers do not have Bangladeshi contact lists and do not recruit by messaging unknown individuals on WhatsApp in Bengali or broken English.
- BAIRA agents offering "guaranteed jobs" in Ukraine for fees of BDT 300,000 or more — the fee structure of these arrangements is the business model, not a service. Legitimate job placement does not require large upfront payments before any verified contact with a real employer.
- Facebook groups advertising Ukrainian "visa + job packages" in Bengali — these are almost universally either scams or arrangements with employers who will not be able to legally sponsor a work permit, or both.
- Agents who cannot provide an EDRPOU code for the employer — every registered Ukrainian company has an EDRPOU code. The absence of one is not a technicality — it means the company either does not exist or is not registered with the Ukrainian state.
If the employer offer arrived through any of the above channels, treat it as a fraud risk until you can independently verify the employer through the steps below.
Where Legitimate Opportunities Can Exist
This is not a theoretical exercise — Bangladeshi nationals do work legally in Ukraine. The channels through which real employment relationships have developed include:
- Direct applications to Ukrainian companies via Ukrainian job platforms: robota.ua, work.ua, and djinni.co (for technology and engineering roles) are the primary job boards. Postings are in Ukrainian but can be searched in English for internationally-oriented companies. The company EDRPOU code is visible on legitimate job postings.
- LinkedIn — Ukrainian companies hiring internationally are present on LinkedIn. Search by company location, industry, and role. A company with a LinkedIn presence, Ukrainian headquarters listed, and actual employees visible (not just the hiring post) is a meaningful signal of legitimacy.
- Academic and university connections — Bangladeshis who studied at Ukrainian universities and graduated have sometimes returned as professionals. Connections formed during study can lead to legitimate employment offers from real companies.
- Business contacts established through trade or business travel — less common but genuine. Bangladeshi businesspeople with existing Ukrainian business relationships occasionally develop employment opportunities through those networks.
- Ukrainian diaspora or company international offices — some Ukrainian companies have international presences or diaspora communities. Contact through these channels can sometimes lead to referrals to legitimate Ukrainian employers.
The common thread in all legitimate channels: you have a verifiable company name, an EDRPOU code you can look up, and direct contact with someone in the company's actual Ukrainian office — not just through an intermediary in Bangladesh.
How to Verify Any Ukrainian Employer — 5 Steps
| Step 1: Request the EDRPOU code | Ask the employer — or the agent claiming to represent them — for the company's ЄДРПОУ (EDRPOU) code. This is an 8-digit number assigned to every registered Ukrainian legal entity. Every legitimate company will have one and will provide it without hesitation. Refusal or inability to provide an EDRPOU code is disqualifying. |
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| Step 2: Search data.gov.ua | Go to data.gov.ua (Ukrainian Open Data Portal) or opendatabot.ua (which aggregates registry data). Enter the EDRPOU code. The registry will return:
If the EDRPOU does not return a result, the number is incorrect or fabricated. If the status is liquidated or bankrupt, the company cannot legally employ anyone. |
| Step 3: Check tax compliance status | The Ukrainian State Tax Service maintains a public registry of taxpayers. A company registered and tax-compliant will appear in this registry. A company with severe tax debt or sanctions may be flagged. This check is available through opendatabot.ua alongside the basic registry lookup. |
| Step 4: Search for reviews | Search the company name followed by "відгуки" (Ukrainian for "reviews") or "reviews" in Google. Ukrainian workers post employer reviews on glassdoor.ua, robota.ua employer review sections, and general forums. Absence of any online presence for a company claiming to have been operating for years is a red flag. A company with multiple recent negative reviews about non-payment of wages is a different kind of red flag. |
| Step 5: Video call with a person in the actual Ukrainian office | Request a video call — not just a voice call or WhatsApp exchange — with a verifiable person at the company. They should be calling from a location you can verify (search the address on Google Maps Street View, confirm it looks like an operational office, not a residential building). The person on the call should be able to speak to specifics of the role, the company's operations, and the work permit process. Inability to do any of these things is a significant warning sign. |
Red Flags Checklist
No EDRPOU code provided or cannot be found in registry
The EDRPOU code is public information — every registered Ukrainian company has one. If an employer refuses to provide it, claims it does not exist, or provides a code that does not return a valid active company in the Ukrainian registry, the employer is either unregistered (cannot legally sponsor a work permit) or does not exist.
Job was offered via an intermediary in Bangladesh with no direct employer contact
Legitimate Ukrainian employers recruit through verifiable channels. An intermediary in Dhaka who offers a Ukrainian job but who refuses to provide direct contact with the Ukrainian employer — or who claims the employer is "too busy" for direct contact — is a fraud indicator. The work permit application process requires the employer to submit documentation directly to the Ukrainian State Employment Service. If you cannot contact the employer directly, the employer probably does not exist.
Salary promised above market rates for the role and location
Ukrainian salaries for skilled workers (construction, manufacturing, IT) range from approximately UAH 15,000–50,000 per month (roughly $400–1,300 USD) for most positions. Offers of $3,000–5,000 USD per month for unskilled or semi-skilled positions from an employer that approached you via social media are not credible. Above-market offers are a standard scam technique to create urgency and justify upfront fees.
Upfront fee required before verified employer contact
A legitimate work permit process does not require the worker to pay fees before a work permit is issued and a visa is in hand. Agents may charge consultation fees for their services — that is separate. What is not legitimate is: pay BDT 200,000–400,000 upfront and we will arrange your job, visa, and permit. This is the mechanics of a fraud, not a service.
Employer cannot or will not provide a Ukrainian tax number (EDRPOU)
Repeated for emphasis: no EDRPOU = no legitimate company = no legally possible work permit sponsorship. If the employer cannot provide this number, stop.
What a Legitimate Employment Contract Contains
A Ukrainian employment contract (трудовий договір / трудовий контракт) must contain specific elements under Ukrainian labour law. Before signing anything, verify the contract includes:
- Parties: Your full name exactly as in your passport; employer's full company name and EDRPOU code
- Job title and duties: Specific position title matching the work permit application; description of core responsibilities
- Salary: Monthly salary in UAH (Ukrainian Hryvnia). Be sceptical of contracts denominated only in USD — while USD salary references exist, a contract for a Ukrainian legal entity should show UAH calculation.
- Work location: Specific address in Ukraine — not a vague reference to "Ukraine" or "various locations"
- Contract term: Start date and duration (typically 1–3 years for foreign workers on a work permit)
- Probation period: If applicable — typically 3 months under Ukrainian labour law
- Reference to Ukrainian Labour Code: The contract should state it is governed by the Labour Code of Ukraine (Кодекс законів про працю України)
The contract should be in Ukrainian (with a certified translation provided to you). A contract only in English, only in Bengali, or only in a language other than Ukrainian is not compliant with Ukrainian law. It cannot be submitted as part of a work permit application. Insist on the Ukrainian-language version.
Our Employer Verification Service
We run a structured employer verification for clients and prospective clients who have been offered a Ukrainian employment opportunity and need to establish whether it is legitimate before committing time and money to the application process.
The verification covers: EDRPOU registry check, tax compliance status, address verification, publicly available review search, and an assessment of whether the employment terms and work permit process described by the employer match what a legitimate sponsorship arrangement looks like under Ukrainian law.
We deliver a written verification report. This is included as part of the $30 eligibility assessment for clients proceeding with a full application, or available as a standalone check at $40 USD.
If You Discover the Employer Is Fake
Do not travel. Do not send money beyond what you have already sent. Do not sign further documents.
If you have already paid an agent in Bangladesh who misrepresented the employer, report the fraud to:
- Bangladesh police financial crime unit — file a formal complaint with all documentation (messages, receipts, agreements)
- BMET Bangladesh — report the agent if they held themselves out as a licensed overseas employment facilitator
- BAIRA — if the agent claimed BAIRA membership, report to BAIRA for disciplinary review
If you are already in Ukraine and have discovered the employer does not exist after arrival, contact the Bangladesh Embassy in Kyiv or the Bangladesh High Commission in Warsaw immediately. Do not attempt to resolve the situation through the employer's network — if the employer is fraudulent, anyone introduced through that network is also suspect.