Let us say right away: this publication should not be regarded as a summary advertisement for firms offering work abroad. In fact, only a few of the organizations and private entrepreneurs listed on the pages of today's special issue are actually recruiting candidates for real jobs. The rest, it seems, obtained a license for intermediary activities in employing Ukrainian citizens abroad just in case and practically do not engage in this. Moreover, the lion's share among all licensees is made up of crewing agencies that deal with the employment of seafarers, and the rest of the citizens are of little interest to them.
Unfortunately, our compatriots intending to go abroad for work do not always know about the procedure for legally implementing such an intention. It should be remembered that, according to the Law of Ukraine "On Licensing Certain Types of Business Activities", an intermediary firm must obtain the appropriate license. Its presence is mandatory not only from the standpoint of compliance with Ukrainian legislation, but also in terms of ensuring certain guarantees of protection for a person who decides to work abroad. When a legal entity or individual obtains a license for mediation, documents must be submitted that make it possible to verify whether the employer has the right to hire a Ukrainian worker and whether the latter will work legally under the laws of the chosen country.
In addition, a firm that has a license is obliged to comply with the licensing conditions for conducting business activities in mediation of employment abroad - a by-law that regulates its activities (this document is published in today's issue). Mandatory compliance with licensing conditions and constant monitoring by the structures of the Ministry of Labor of their implementation makes it possible to reduce the risk for both the intermediary and its clients. In turn, the first step for every potential worker abroad should be to check that the intermediary has a state license, which is issued for five years (previously for three years). It is also advisable to make sure that this license was issued specifically by the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy of Ukraine.
In every firm providing such services, in a place accessible to the client, there must be copies of the certificate of state registration, a certificate of entry into the Unified State Register of Entrepreneurs, a license for mediation in employment abroad, information about the full name of the intermediary, its address, telephone numbers, last name, first name and patronymic of the head (owner), telephone numbers of the local body of the State Employment Service of Ukraine, an excerpt from the law "On Protection of Consumer Rights" regarding the provision of services, and a book of comments and suggestions.
When resorting to the services of a particular firm offering work, one must be extremely careful. It has become common practice to collect money from those seeking work abroad without providing any guarantees. And cases of unsuccessful or even illegal employment, or simply disrupted trips abroad, are not uncommon even among licensed firms.
Today's publication lists a number of firms whose licenses have expired literally within the last few days. But, as we were assured by the Ministry of Labor, most of them are currently undergoing re-licensing, so they should not be excluded from the list. When new data arrives from the Ministry of Labor of Ukraine, we will try to promptly inform our readers about them.