The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a new procedure for verifying length of service for the purposes of pension entitlement. As Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi announced on 10 October, the Pension Fund will first check state electronic registers and, in the absence of such information, will accept other documents or, in certain cases, statements from former colleagues. A separate procedure has been established for those affected by the war.
Briefly about the main points
- The Pension Fund of Ukraine will begin verifying length of service using state electronic registers.
- If the information is already on file, paper evidence will not be requested again.
- To account for any gaps, you may submit certificates, contracts, bank statements or archive documents.
- Testimony from colleagues will only be taken in accordance with the established procedure.
- You can check your insurance record on the Pension Fund of Ukraine’s web portal.
The registers will be the primary source for verification
Pension fund The system will first search for information on periods of employment in government information systems. If the details are available there, the individual will not need to provide them again in the form of paper documents.
This principle entails Law No. 4851-IX, which came into force on 2 August 2026. Where the information in the registers is insufficient, the fund must inform the applicant of the need to provide further proof of their length of service, in particular via their personal account on the e-services portal.
What documents can be used to prove periods of employment?
In the absence of entries in the registers, an employment record book or other documents may serve as proof. For periods prior to the introduction of personalised record-keeping, it remains the primary evidence if no electronic data is available.
The Pension Fund of Ukraine may take into account documents issued by an employer, place of service or educational institution, as well as archive records. This makes it possible to verify employment details that have not been recorded in current electronic systems.
- certificates and extracts from company orders;
- details of wages and personal accounts;
- written employment contracts with confirmation of performance;
- bank documents relating to the payment of salaries.
When witnesses may be called
If the documents have not been preserved and cannot be recovered, in the cases provided for by law, the length of service may be confirmed by the testimony of at least two people who worked alongside the applicant at the relevant time.
Witnesses must have documents confirming their own employment during this period. According to Koretsky, the Pension Fund will assist citizens in their search. Testimony and other information will be verified in accordance with established procedures; therefore, a verbal statement is not sufficient for the recognition of service.
A separate procedure for people affected by the war
Special arrangements will apply to people who worked in the temporarily occupied territories or in areas of hostilities, or who lost their documents as a result of Russian shelling.
It covers cases where a business has remained in occupied territory, has ceased operations, or where its records have been destroyed as a result of hostilities. In such situations, alternative evidence and witness statements may be used to confirm employment.
What to do if your length of service is not shown in full
First and foremost, citizens are advised to check their insurance record on the Pension Fund’s web portal. If certain periods of employment are not shown, they can contact a Pension Fund service centre or use the online account to clarify the list of required supporting documents.
When submitting an application, you should gather any existing employment contracts, certificates, archive extracts and other evidence of employment. If the documents have been destroyed or are unavailable, the case will be considered in accordance with the relevant procedure, including the calling of witnesses.
