Zelensky facilitates relocation of Belarusian IT specialists to Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelensky 
Volodymyr Zelensky 

Ukraine is joining with renewed vigor the struggle for Belarusian specialists, which in the light of recent events are ready to leave the country. Volodymyr Zelensky has taken measures to facilitate the relocation of Belarusian IT entrepreneurs and high-class specialists to Ukraine.

The decree of the President of Ukraine No. 420/2020 lists the steps that the Ukrainian government must take:

- to extend to 180 days a year the period of temporary stay on the territory of Ukraine for citizens of Belarus, whose immigration is in the interests of Ukraine, as wellas members of their families. Currently, this period is the same for everyone and is equal to 90 days.

- to simplify the registration of a residence permit for citizens of Belarus, in whom Ukraine is interested. The term for obtaining such documents should be reduced to three days - without the need to additionally travel outside the Ukrainian territory.

- optimize the procedure for obtaining permits for the use of labor of foreigners and stateless persons for the employment of Belarusian citizens who are highly qualified IT specialists.

- improve the procedure for registering Belarusian IT specialists as individual entrepreneurs - single tax payers.

- to recognize the documents issued by the competent authorities of Belarus, which are necessary for the implementation of labor activity in Ukraine.

The decree comes into force on the day of its publication.

In early September it was reported that a Belarusian lawyer Dzyanis Aleinikau, one of the promoters of Alyaksandr Lukashenka's decree No. 8 "On the Digital Economy", had moved to Ukraine. Aleinikau said that he would work in Kyiv on a project sinmilar to the Belarusian High Technologies Park.

The presence of a project similar to the HTP in Kyiv is another argument in favor of the relocation of IT specialists tired of Belarusian instability.