What are my chances of getting a job?

Although some UK companies operate in Ukraine, opportunities for new graduates may be rare. Finding work with a Ukrainian company, although not impossible, is unlikely.

• Typical problems encountered: employers tend to be looking for graduates with a few years’ relevant experience. There is a degree of corruption within the system. In order to work in Ukraine you need a visa, which the employer must apply for. However, to obtain a visa the employer needs to prove that a Ukrainian cannot do the work, which is often difficult. Fluency in Ukrainian is often a requirement.
• How to improve your chances: you could find work as a teacher of English, through an exchange programme or voluntary project - agencies that organise this will often assist you with visa requirements. Learning Ukrainian will be a great advantage and then finding work as a translator may be a possibility.
• Language requirements: after Ukraine achieved independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991, Ukrainian has become the official language. Around 67% of the population speak Ukrainian, while about 24% speak Russian. In practice, most Ukrainians are bilingual, and in some eastern areas of the country, such as the Crimea, Russian is the main language. It is certainly helpful to learn Ukrainian and details of summer courses in Ukraine are available from the Eurolingua Institute and Study in Ukraine. Teach yourself courses are available from Eurotalk Interactive.

Where can I work?

• Major industries: electric power, coal, metals and chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, food processing (especially sugar).
• Recent growth areas: IT
• Industries in decline: as a result of the 2009 economic downturn there has been a decline in steel, chemicals and machinery.
• Major companies: multinationals with a base in Ukraine include PriceWaterhouseCoopers, KPMG and Procter and Gamble. Companies in Ukraine with British connections include British Airways and Glaxosmithkline.
• Search for more companies: Kompass, a worldwide business directory searchable by country, Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Global Business Gateways and Europages.
• Major cities: Kiev (or Kyiv) (capital and largest city), Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Odessa, Donetsk.

What’s it like working in Ukraine?

• Average working hours: similar to the UK: office hours are 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, or perhaps 8.30am to 4.30pm in manufacturing and other environments.
• Holidays: minimum holiday entitlement is 21 days after one year’s continuous employment, plus ten public holidays.
• Tax rates: non-residents working in Ukraine pay 15% income tax as well as contributions towards the state pension fund, the state employment fund and social insurance reserves.
• Working practices and customs: the handshake along with a statement of your name is the usual greeting in business situations. Friendships with business colleagues are important in the Ukrainian workplace, as people tend to mix work and socialising. It is usual for Ukrainian employees to be late to meetings by about five to ten minutes. This is seen as acceptable in Ukraine.