More abroad than at home: Ukrainians declare their earnings en masse
18 July 2025 22:01
In 2024, Ukrainian citizens declared UAH 35.1 billion of foreign income, twice as much as in 2023. This was reported by the State Tax Service of Ukraine (STS), summarizing the results of the declaration campaign for the past year, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
Experts believe that the reason for this growth is the massive relocation of citizens abroad as a result of a full-scale war and the strengthening of tax culture among Ukrainians who earn income outside the country.
Tax revenues: billions to the budget
The total amount of accrued personal income tax (PIT) on declared foreign income amounted to UAH 3.8 billion. In addition, the budget received UAH 535.8 million in military fees.
These revenues have become an important resource for the state budget amid the war economy, where every billion is important for financing the Armed Forces and key social programs.
Who declares foreign income
The main sources of foreign income for Ukrainians are
- salaries earned abroad;
- income from business activities carried out in other countries;
- investment income, including dividends, interest and royalties;
- income from renting out property;
- inheritance or gifts received from abroad.
Under Ukrainian law, individuals who received foreign income during the year and were registered for tax purposes in Ukraine are required to file a tax return by May 1 of the following year and pay taxes by August 1.
Changes in tax behavior
The State Tax Service notes that Ukrainians have become more responsible in declaring their foreign income. This is the result of both information campaigns and increased international cooperation within the framework of the exchange of tax data (CRS).
A separate role is played by the growing number of digital services that simplify the filing of declarations: taxpayers can submit documents online through the Electronic Taxpayer Account.
Read also: New social assistance rules: what income is now taken into account and what is not
Experts expect the upward trend in foreign income to continue. The reasons are:
- residual emigration of labor migrants;
- the spread of remote employment for foreign companies;
- more active Ukrainian businesses abroad, particularly in Europe.
At the same time, the government will tighten control over income declaration and tax payments. In particular, the automated exchange of tax information under the OECD CRS is expected to be fully launched in 2026, allowing the tax service to receive information on Ukrainians’ accounts abroad in banks of partner countries.
Читайте нас у Telegram: головні новини коротко
