Trends and Patterns of Migration Law in 2025

Migration law covers a wide range of issues related to a person’s stay in a country and movement across administrative borders: from preventing illegal migration to granting permanent residence through investment.

Borders are being crossed not just by passports but by people with complex sets of needs and resources that they are willing to invest in Ukraine. A client with a migration case is a potential client in family, tax, patent, competition and other practices. These individuals want the legal processes affecting them to be as clear and transparent as possible. The stakes are high, since these decisions determine whether (and for how long) they can safely stay in the country.

Given the wartime trends and the relative stability in certain regions, the sector’s importance will continue to grow, with an expected influx of volunteers, military personnel, and potential entrepreneurs. However, the U.S. government’s policies are already influencing the situation in our country. Additionally, the state’s handling of migration matters is not always effective. Even when applicants fulfil all the requirements for acquiring citizenship, a positive outcome is not guaranteed. We continue to witness unjustified restrictions, yet we hope for the best: lawmakers eventually address the current struggles in the sector.

Based on our experience, the most common migration statuses today are temporary residence, immigration, and obtaining Ukrainian citizenship. In classic cases, foreigners planning to stay in Ukraine for an extended period, beyond mere tourism, typically apply for a temporary residence permit. Those with more long-term plans aim to secure permanent residency. Among these individuals, the most common categories are volunteers, employees of international projects and NGOs, staff of Ukrainian companies, and those relocating to join their families. There are also more specific legal statuses, including foreign Ukrainians, refugees, individuals requiring additional or temporary protection, and stateless persons.

As of 2025, the hot topics are the humanitarian sector, military service, and a new wave of labour migration. Immigration through investment becomes a new Mecca for businessmen, while the statistics both on acquiring and (hopeless) renunciation of citizenship remain consistently high.

Turbulence in Humanitarian Sector

On the basis of our observations, a significant portion of foreigners in Ukraine are engaged in the humanitarian sector. According to the Law of Ukraine No.3773-VI On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons, volunteer activities, employment in foreign non-governmental organizations, and participation in international technical assistance projects are different grounds for staying in Ukraine. A common reason for the increasing number of those invited to work in the named fields is the country’s need for assistance, ranging from the investigation of war crimes to conducting first aid training.

The temporary suspension of U.S. funding for audits has drastically changed the landscape. For example, our clients, who received their temporary residence permits at the end of 2024, greeted us in January 2025 with: “I don’t know if I still have a job.” Their project was soon shut down. Predictably, not all specialists returned to their tasks after the audit was completed.

On the other hand, the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) recently registered Draft Law No.13071 On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine ‘On the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons’ to abolish visa requirements for foreigners and stateless persons who are humanitarian workers and volunteers for the period of martial law, proposing for the requirement of a Type D Visa for a temporary residence permit to be revoked for volunteers and humanitarian workers during martial law and for one year after its termination. This will significantly ease the process for those inviting them to Ukraine.

The reduction in the number of foreigners due to the cut in funding of the humanitarian sector may be partially offset by the new draft bill. We will see how events unfold.

Foreign Servicemen

Previous legislation did not consider the implications of military service for those who became criminals in their country of citizenship because of serving in Ukraine, ignoring the needs of foreigners in the army. Nor did it consider the status of their close ones. The Law of Ukraine No.3897-IX On Amendments Regarding the Legal Status of Foreigners and Stateless Persons Participating in the Defence of Ukraine’s Territorial Integrity and Inviolability became the next important new step in creating fair conditions for foreigners and stateless persons who defend Ukraine: military personnel and their families as well as volunteers. The new Law of Ukraine No.3897-IX enables servicemen to stay for 3 months instead of 7 days once the contract has expired; it has simplified the procedures their families should go through to stay in Ukraine, improved the status of former contract servicemen in terms, and simplified citizenship acquisition for the servicemen. Tiny steps of gratitude to those willingly joining the army are not the final point but mark a promising prospect.

New Wave of Labour Migration

The strengthening of Ukraine’s defence capabilities through an increase in the personnel of the Defence Forces has its consequences: the labour market is experiencing a critical shortage of specialists. This demand is being partially met by attracting foreign professionals. The number of employers seeking foreign workers, sometimes entire teams, as we have seen, is growing to avoid future personnel shortages due to conscription. This applies to both managerial positions and skilled labour jobs.

However, hiring foreign workers is a complex and costly process. It requires interaction with the tax authorities, employment centres, migration service and other institutions, demanding significant resources, time, and funds. Therefore, even with the prospect of more such cases, this solution is unlikely to fully compensate for the labour market shortfall in the future.

Investment and Immigration

The economic strengthening of Ukraine has been a topic of active discussion since 2022. For foreigners who invest at least USD 100,000 in the Ukrainian economy, the Law of Ukraine No.2491-III On Immigration provides the opportunity to obtain a permanent residence permit.

Despite a rather cautious approach on the part of regional branches of the State Migration Service, this procedure has become an established practice and a valuable opportunity for the state to attract additional financial inflows. It is also appealing to foreigners, as making such an investment ensures them permanent residence in Ukraine if certain conditions are met.

The increasing number of applications for such golden-passport-like immigration confirms a positive trend and is likely to grow.

Citizenship: In and Out

At the same time, not everyone is willing to stay in the country during wartime. Requests for renouncing Ukrainian citizenship are not uncommon, although for individuals subject to military service (most men aged 18-60), this process is technically impossible.

One of the mandatory steps is relocating abroad for permanent residence. However, this option is unavailable for men, as it requires deregistration from military records before leaving the country, an unrealistic scenario under current conditions. Without this, renouncing citizenship is merely a theoretical possibility. Those not subject to conscription do not encounter these obstacles.

Meanwhile, the number of people seeking to acquire Ukrainian citizenship increased in 2022-2025, particularly among individuals of Ukrainian descent. Those unwilling to undergo the full naturalization process can obtain the status of a foreign Ukrainian. Proving one’s connection to Ukraine and active involvement in the diaspora’s activities is sufficient to obtain this certificate, which, among other benefits, provides grounds for immigration. However, neither is this a fast process: although the procedure itself is relatively straightforward, delays at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a bureau responsible for issuing this status, often prolong the process due to bureaucratic hurdles and communication gaps.

Draft Bill No. 11469 On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on Ensuring the Exercise of the Right to Acquire and Retain Ukrainian Citizenship, proposing the concept of multiple citizenship to Ukrainian legislation, just might change how things look today, though it is unlikely to come into force soon.

Families

Life goes on, and new families, frequently international ones, are being formed. This has led to a growing need for legal regulation of their status in Ukraine. The number of people seeking temporary or permanent residence permits through family reunification remains stable, as does the procedure itself.

However, the regulation is now evolving in order to combat sham marriages. Now, couples seeking a permanent residence permit for a foreign spouse must undergo a marriage authenticity check. According to the Procedure for Verifying Circumstances in Which Marriage to a Ukrainian Citizen or an Immigrant is Not Recognized as Grounds for Immigration (approved by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No.1983 of December 26, 2002), spouses should have at least 40 out of 45, that is 90%, of answers matching up. The questions are tailored individually for each couple, and the level of difficulty is genuinely high. However, love wins, and our clients pass successfully.

As of 2025, migration law in Ukraine continues to evolve in response to war-related challenges, economic shifts, and global policy changes. The sector remains dynamic, with increasing demand for legal services related to humanitarian work, military service, investment-based immigration, and labour migration. While regulatory improvements and new legislation offer promising developments, bureaucratic hurdles and inconsistencies persist, making expert legal guidance more crucial than ever for a safe and smooth stay in Ukraine, however long one chooses it to be.