Ukraine is Europe’s second-largest country, after Russia, and has a significant economy with a GDP of $205.74 billion. Despite this economic clout, and especially because of the current Russian invasion, Ukraine’s per capita GDP is one of the lowest in Europe at just $6,260 per year. Of the country’s population of 32.862 million people, around 20 million are part of its labor force. Approximately 14% of these workers are employed in agriculture, 25% in industry, and 61% in the service sector. Wages in Ukraine are low, while workers are often highly skilled. These factors can make them highly attractive for local and international employers.

Employers can struggle, however, to find the ideal people they need for their organizations. While workers can claim skills and experience, it’s hard for employers to know if they truly possess what they claim without testing them out on the job. Likewise, job-seekers need to choose who to work for without having any experience with their employers.

Probation periods can help both workers and employers test out new employment arrangements and confirm their choices. This guide will explain what a probation period in Ukraine is, how it works, and why it’s a useful option for both employees and employers.

Definition of Probation Period in Ukraine

A probation period, also known as a vyprobuvalʹnyy termin in Ukrainian, is a type of trial period that lets employers and employees test out an employment relationship. During probation, legal protections for both sides are relaxed to make it easier to end relationships that aren’t expected to work out long-term.

Employers usually have the choice of whether to use probation periods or not, unless they are required to do so by collective agreements. On their applications and in interviews, employees can claim certain skills, knowledge, and experience, but the employer will only know if these claims are accurate by observing the employee on the job. Probation gives them the chance to evaluate their new workers’ skills and also to observe how well they interact and collaborate with their coworkers. Many employers consider probation periods to be times to work closely with new employees to help them build their skills and come up to full productivity.

Employees, too, use their probation periods as times to assess their potential success in their new jobs. They get to try out their roles and decide if they’ll enjoy them and if they have the skills to perform them well. They also examine their relationships with their new coworkers and supervisors to determine whether or not they can be happy and productive. Finally, employees can test out the working conditions and benefits they receive from their employers to see if they accurately represent what they were promised. 

A probation period in Ukraine starts on the employee’s first day of work and continues until one of two things happens: either one of the two parties chooses to terminate the employment agreement, or the period comes to its pre-arranged end. If the relationship is not terminated, the probation is successful, and the employee will continue on with their contract as planned.

Lengths of Probationary Periods in Ukraine

Probationary periods are not required in Ukraine, but they are provided for by law. The normal duration for a probationary period should not exceed three months. However, if a trade union agrees, some employees can be placed on probation for up to six months. In the case of industrial workers, probation cannot be longer than one month in duration. Workers on fixed-term contracts cannot be placed on probation, but for longer contracts, their probation periods have the same limits as those of workers on indefinite contracts.

It’s important to note that minors, people hired after internships, disabled persons, pregnant women, single mothers of children aged 14 and under, and several other categories of workers may not be placed on probation.

Legal Considerations of Probation Periods in Ukraine

Ukraine, as a former socialist republic, has strong protections for workers that are largely enshrined in the Labor Code of Ukraine 1971. Some of the most relevant rules and regulations regarding probation periods include:

Pay and Working Conditions

As of 1 January 2026, the minimum wage for workers in Ukraine is 8,647 UAH (Ukrainian hryvnia) per month (approximately 201 USD). This wage, though quite low by European standards, protects workers of all kinds in Ukraine, including those on probation. There is also no allowance in the law for probationary workers to be paid less than their fully-employed counterparts.

Normal working hours in Ukraine are 40 hours per week, though collective agreements may limit workweeks to fewer hours. Overtime is strictly controlled and is only allowed in specific circumstances like national defence, maintaining work that must be continuous, and disaster prevention. Employees can only work four hours of overtime for two consecutive days, and overall overtime hours are limited to 120 hours per year. Workers must be paid 200% of their normal wages when they work overtime. These rules are the same for probationary and fully-employed workers.

Termination and Notice

During probation periods, employees may resign at any time by simply informing their employers. Employers, on the other hand, must give their employees an advanced warning of their termination during their probation period of not less than three days. Workers can be dismissed for poor performance during probation periods, but they have the right to challenge these terminations.

After probation is successfully completed, legal protections become more robust. Employees must serve their employers with two weeks’ notice should they wish to resign. Employers are normally required to warn employees at least two weeks in advance if they are going to be terminated. However, some employment agreements can allow employers to terminate employees without notice. Regular workers may be entitled to one month’s salary as severance pay, while dismissed executives can be entitled to up to six months’ salary.

Vacation / Holidays

Workers in Ukraine are entitled to nine public holidays per year, along with three additional religious holidays. These days are considered paid holidays and employees should receive time off work, including probationary employees, if the holidays fall within their probation periods. Should workers be required to work on these days, they can choose to receive either double their normal wages or a compensatory day off.

Most Ukrainian workers are entitled to 24 calendar days of annual leave, while minors receive 30 days and disabled workers between 26 and 30 days per year. Employees performing hazardous work should receive 35 calendar days of annual leave. Workers become entitled to this leave after performing six months of continuous work for their employers. This means that, in effect, probationary workers are not entitled to annual leave. Leave must normally be used in the same year that it is accumulated and may only be rolled over to the next year with special permission from the employer.

Benefits of Probation Periods in Ukraine

While not required, probation periods are widely used across all industries in Ukraine because of the benefits they can produce for both employees and employers, including the following:

  • For Employees

The ability to try out new jobs to see if they can be performed successfully and be enjoyed.

The chance to test out working with new coworkers and under new working conditions.

The opportunity to resign without giving notice and quickly return to the job market.

  • For Employers

The chance to observe new employees and judge their ability to work productively with their coworkers and perform their roles effectively.

The opportunity to evaluate how well new workers fit in with the company’s culture.

The ability to terminate new workers quickly with just three days’ notice if they’re not working out.

Conclusion

Probation periods in Ukraine let employees and employers try out new relationships and assess whether or not they’ll be successful over the long term. They normally last three months, which gives both sides an appropriate amount of time to make their evaluations and decide whether to continue their relationships or terminate them. During probation, employees receive most of the same benefits as fully-employed workers, but both sides can terminate their agreements more quickly if they feel they’ve made poor decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, probation periods are typically used at the discretion of the employer, unless they are stipulated in collective agreements that govern employment in certain industries.

Industrial workers can only be put on probation for one month, while the normal maximum duration for most workers is three months. In some cases, and with the permission of the relevant trade union, probation can be extended to six months.

Yes. Employers need to give their probationary workers three days’ warning that they’ll be terminated and need to state their reasons for doing so. However, insufficient skill and poor performance are both considered justifiable reasons for termination.