Can Ukrainian teachers abroad keep their seniority in order to receive a seniority bonus

The issue of maintaining professional experience for Ukrainian teachers who had to find work abroad due to the war remained open for a long time. Now this problem has received an official solution — on September 3, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted a decision that allows the credit of work experience abroad to receive seniority allowances.

This decision is not only an act of support for Ukrainian education workers who have found themselves in other countries, but also part of a more general strategy for ensuring stability and recognizing the contribution of teachers to the development of national education. In the conditions of martial law and long-term instability, Ukrainian teachers and scientific and pedagogical workers are looking for opportunities to continue their activities, in particular outside of Ukraine. However, for many, the question arose: will they be able to keep their teaching experience and the corresponding allowances while working abroad?

What is changing for teachers

Previously, teaching experience outside Ukraine was counted only in cases where Ukraine had relevant international agreements with one or another country. This limited opportunities for many Ukrainian education workers, who had to look for work in countries with which such agreements did not exist. After the full-scale invasion of Russia, the number of Ukrainian teachers abroad increased significantly, which made it necessary to revise the existing rules.

From now on, teachers and scientific-pedagogical workers working in another country will be able to apply for crediting their earned experience to receive a seniority bonus. This decision applies to all Ukrainian citizens who are forced to work outside their homeland in the field of education.

How it will work: an example with experience

In order to better understand how the innovations will work in practice, let’s give an example. Suppose that before the war, a teacher from Berdyansk had 17 years of experience and received a 20% bonus to his salary. Because of the war, he went to Luxembourg and worked there as a teacher in a local school for three years. After the end of the war, this teacher returns to Ukraine and gets a teaching position again. According to the new rules, his three years of work abroad will be counted as seniority. As a result, he will receive an allowance already in the amount of 30% instead of 20%.

Seniority bonus levels

For teachers with more than three years of experience, the following levels of allowances are provided:

• For more than 3 years of experience — 10% of the official salary.
• For more than 10 years of experience — 20% of the official salary.
• For more than 20 years of experience — 30% of the official salary.

How to confirm work experience abroad

In order to count work experience abroad, Ukrainian teachers must provide documents confirming their employment, such as an employment contract or an agreement. This will allow them to receive proper allowances when they return to Ukraine and start working in educational institutions again.

It is also important to note that the time when the employee did not work, but the place of work and/or salary was kept – partially or fully – will be included in the teaching experience. This rule applies during martial law and for a year after its termination.

The adopted decision not only supports teachers who were forced to leave the country, but also contributes to the preservation of their qualifications and motivation to return and further work in Ukraine.

In addition, this decision can be a positive signal for other professional categories who are forced to work abroad and need the same support mechanisms. After all, many Ukrainian citizens, regardless of their profession, today face the issue of preserving seniority and rights after returning to their homeland.