Staff retention in 2026: who is eligible and how to apply

Who is eligible for deferral in 2026

Deferral grants an employee a postponement of conscription during mobilisation. Eligibility is determined not by profession but by place of work. The list of entities is set out in paragraph 1 of the Procedure, approved by Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 76 of 27 January 2023.

Employees subject to deferment are those liable for military service:

• in state authorities, other state bodies and local self-government bodies;
• law enforcement agencies, courts and other institutions of the justice system;

• enterprises of critical importance to the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine;

• enterprises and institutions of critical importance to the economy and the livelihood of the population;

• specialised UN agencies and international judicial bodies;

• Ukrainian non-governmental organisations implementing humanitarian projects, and verified humanitarian organisations;

• mine action operators.

Persons liable for military service who are registered with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) or intelligence agencies are subject to a separate booking procedure, approved by the same Resolution No. 76.

Applications must be submitted exclusively by a legal entity included in the Unified Register. Sole traders (FOP) and individuals cannot use this service on the Diya Portal.

Is there a list of professions that qualify for a job reservation?

There is no single public list of professions. According to paragraph 3 of the Procedure, those liable for military service are subject to reservation regardless of military rank, age and military speciality.

At the same time, paragraph 5 of the Procedure defines the categories subject to 100 per cent deferment:

• Category ‘A’ civil servants, chairpersons of councils, village, settlement and town mayors, heads of state administrations and staff of welfare services;

• ultimate beneficial owners of critically important enterprises (even if they are not employed there) and members of the supervisory boards of strategic enterprises;

• employees of critical enterprises in the defence-industrial complex (DIC) and the fuel and energy complex (FEC);

• medical staff at state and municipal healthcare facilities (at their main place of work), prosthetists and orthotists, clergy (as per the DES list), prosecutors of the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) and staff of verified humanitarian organisations.

The categories listed in paragraphs 7–22 of clause 5 are not taken into account when calculating an institution’s 50 per cent limit (clause 8 of the Procedure).

How many employees can be reserved: limits

The limit is calculated based on the total number of employees liable for military service, not the entire workforce.

The following are not taken into account in the calculation:

1. Women liable for military service.

2. Personnel registered with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and intelligence agencies.

3. Employees reserved by other organisations.

4. Part-time workers (they are counted only at their main place of work or at the place with the longest period of employment).

Salary threshold for a reserved employee

Throughout the entire deferral period, a reserved employee must be paid a monthly salary calculated using a coefficient based on the minimum wage (MW).

From 1 January 2026, the minimum wage is 8,647 UAH (Law of Ukraine ‘On the State Budget of Ukraine for 2026’ No. 4695-IX).

Who is exempt from the minimum wage threshold:

The minimum wage requirement does not apply to:

• state-owned and municipal enterprises and institutions (in particular those in which the state holds more than 50 per cent);

• residents of Diya City;

• religious and verified humanitarian organisations;

• enterprises in the fuel and energy sector, power generation, distribution system operators and emergency response teams;

• oil refineries in which the state holds a stake of more than 25 per cent.

Criteria for a critically important enterprise

To be eligible to reserve staff, a company must obtain ‘critically important’ status. The enterprise must meet at least 3 criteria out of the 8 basic ones:

1. Tax payments: The total amount of taxes and duties paid during the year exceeds the equivalent of 1.5 million euros.

2. Foreign currency receipts: Foreign currency revenue for the year exceeds 32 million euros.

3. Strategic importance for the economy and national security.

4. Significant importance for the sector or local community.

5. No outstanding tax or social security contributions (mandatory criterion).

6. Salary level: Average salary for the last quarter — not less than the minimum wage × 3 (25,941 UAH) (mandatory criterion).

7. Residency in Diya City.

8. Revenue of telecoms operators: Over UAH 200 million (for mobile) or UAH 20 million (for fixed-line).

How to submit a booking application via the Diya Portal

The service is free of charge. The application process usually takes around 10 minutes:

1. Login: Go to the ‘Employee Booking’ service page on the Diya Portal and log in to the legal entity’s account using an electronic digital signature (EDS) or qualified electronic signature (QES).

2. Entering data: Enter the full name, RNO-KPP and the desired deferral period for each employee.

3. Signing: Check the generated list and sign it using your electronic key. If the application is submitted by an authorised person, the final signature must be provided by the head of the enterprise (or the head of the branch and the legal entity — for separate divisions).

4. Receiving the result: Monitor the status in your personal account. Processing of the application takes between 24 and 72 hours.

What documents are required

There is no need to submit paper documents. You simply need to have:

• the legal entity’s digital signature (KEP/ECP);

• the number and date of the order recognising the company as critically important;

• employees’ personal details (full name, TIN).

Validity period of the exemption and how to extend it

The duration of the exemption granted depends on the category of the enterprise:

• Until the end of mobilisation — for government bodies, courts, law enforcement agencies and patronage services.

• For the duration of the contract/agreement — for enterprises fulfilling orders for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

• Up to 12 months — for critically important enterprises in the economic sector, humanitarian organisations and mine-action operators.

• Up to 45 days — for employees without valid military registration documents.

Requirements for employees and who cannot be reserved

An automatic check in the ‘Oberig’ register will reject the request if the employee:

• is a conscript, a reservist or has been removed from the military register;

• has a valid deferment on other grounds or has already been reserved;

• does not meet the age criteria (under 18 or over 60);

• is wanted by the police or has not provided accurate personal details;

• is not officially employed by the company (no data in the Pension Fund of Ukraine register).

What should I do if my details are not in the Pension Fund of Ukraine (PFU) register? The employer must submit details of the employment relationship via the Pension Fund of Ukraine’s web portal. The information is updated within 2 days, after which the application can be resubmitted.

45-day retention for employees without formal military registration

Law of Ukraine No. 4630-IX allows defence industry enterprises and companies critical to the Armed Forces of Ukraine to retain employees who:

• do not have, or have improperly completed, their military registration documents;

• are not registered for military service or are wanted by the authorities.

Key conditions for temporary retention:

• It is granted for a period of up to 45 days from the date of signing the employment contract.

• This right may be exercised no more than once a year.

• The employment contract must be concluded no earlier than 45 days prior to the date of application.

• Within 45 days, the employee must rectify any breaches of military registration requirements, after which they may be reserved on the standard terms.

When is the deferral cancelled and what risks does the employer face

The deferral is cancelled by the authorities upon application by the manager in the following cases:

1. Expiry of the deferral period or the enterprise being stripped of its status as a critically important enterprise.

2. The employee’s dismissal or the termination of the employment contract.

3. The liquidation of the enterprise.

4. Failure to comply with the requirements regarding wage levels.

5. Exceeding the established reservation limits.

What has happened to reservations made before 1 September 2026

Resolution No. 692 (as amended by Resolution No. 862) sets out two possible scenarios for companies that held valid ‘critical to the economy’ status:

• Scenario 1 (documents submitted on time): If the enterprise submitted a certificate of average salary and a tax calculation for the last month by 10 August 2026, the ‘by 1 September’ restriction does not apply. Decisions on criticality and employee deferrals remain in force for the entire initial period.

• Scenario 2 (documents not submitted): Decisions on criticality and employee deferrals ceased to apply on 1 September 2026. To retain the reservation, the enterprise must go through the procedure again — in accordance with the new rules and whilst complying with the salary coefficient of 3.

Timeline of changes 2025–2026

What should an employee who has been reserved do?

Paper extracts confirming reservation are no longer issued (paragraph 30 of the Procedure). Information is available exclusively in electronic form.

Steps for the employee:

1. Checking status: Check whether a deferral is in place via the ‘Reserve+’ app or generate an electronic military registration document on the Diya Portal.

2. Updating details: Update your personal details in the military registration system — without this, the system will reject your employer’s submission.

3. Clarifying timeframes: Ask your HR department about the duration of your deferral (12 months, the term of your contract or 45 days).

4. Changing jobs: If you leave your job, your deferral will be cancelled. The next step is to update your CV and look for a new employer with ‘critical’ status.

How to look for a job with a critically important employer

Critically important status is not stated in the job advertisement — you must check this with the employer. Questions to ask before starting work: is the company included in the Unified List, until what date does the ‘critical’ status apply, and are there any vacancies within the quota?

Vacancies from recruitment agencies that maintain booking lists can be found on Injobe in the category ‘Staff Recruitment, HR’.

HR manager’s checklist before submitting an application