On 5 November 2015 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the Law of Ukraine “On foreign labour migrants” with 304 People’s Deputies of Ukraine voting in favour. This law, which comes into effect on 1 January 2016, defines the legal and administrative basis for state regulation of foreign labour migration and the social security of Ukrainian citizens outside Ukraine (labour migrants) and their family members.
From the initial proposal of the draft law “On foreign labour migrants” through to its adoption in the first reading the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) Mission to Ukraine emphasized the need for fundamental revisions and the inclusion of experts from the diaspora in its further development.
For this reason, once the draft law was returned to the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Social Policy, Employment and Pensions, the UWC Mission formed a group of experts that drafted amendments that factored in past experience and suggestions from labour migrants themselves. Director of the UWC Mission to Ukraine Serhiy Kasyanchuk actively participated in the working group of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Social Policy, Employment and Pensions. This working group united a broad spectrum of representatives from various ministries, government agencies and educational institutions.
As a result, significant changes were made to the draft law which materially broadened the definition of labour migration and the social, economic and cultural-educational rights of labour migrants, their families and community associations. This Law also foresees the active involvement of the state in the process of reintegrating labour migrants upon their return to Ukraine.
“This is only the first step in developing and realizing an all-encompassing state policy on the issues of labour migration,” stated Director of the UWC Mission to Ukraine Serhiy Kasyanchuk. “It is important to take the next steps in expanding the framework of the Law with a specific plan of action for the Government of Ukraine that should be developed in the two months immediately following adoption of the Law.”
“This Law relates to numerous labour migrants from Ukraine, scattered throughout many countries of the world, who stood in defence of Ukraine and aid their families living there,” commented UWC President Eugene Czolij. “It is very positive that Ukraine is developing mechanisms to support its citizens outside Ukraine.”
UWC expresses gratitude to the many labour migrants whose long-term efforts contributed to the realization of this Law. UWC also thanks the representative of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Hryhoriy Seleschuk, People’s Deputies of Ukraine Yuri Shukhevych, Ivan Krulko and Hanna Hopko, legal expert Yuri Kovnyi, and the many other experts who worked on the draft law.
