"Criteria satisfy army and economy". Ukraine keeps military deferral rules unchanged
Photo: Press service of the Verkhovna Rada

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has no plans to revise its policy on exempting or deferring military service (known as "booking") for individuals liable for conscription during wartime. According to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, there will be no significant changes to the criteria or approach to the booking process in the near future.

"The criteria are clearly defined, digitized, and, in fact, highly transparent and understandable. Together with the military, we are closely monitoring how the booking process is being implemented — who is receiving exemptions and in which sectors," Shmyhal stated on Friday during a meeting of the Verkhovna Rada.

So far, Shmyhal noted, the criteria "meet the needs of both the military and the economy."

"For companies that pay taxes and maintain an average salary above the industry average, each employee receiving a transparent, official (‘white’) salary is eligible for booking," the Prime Minister added.

  • As of April 1, 2025, all bookings made under the old rules have expired. Since then, only companies with an updated critical enterprise status can apply for employee bookings — and only through the electronic system.
  • To qualify for critical enterprise status, companies must meet three government-defined criteria. Two are mandatory: (1) an average employee salary of at least UAH 20,000, and (2) no outstanding tax or Unified Social Contribution payments. The third criterion is variable, depending on the company’s sector or strategic importance.