The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has adopted a bill that radically changes the approach to the material support of law enforcement officers and rescuers. The document establishes a strict lower limit for salaries, aimed at equating risks and responsibility with the level of income. 269 people's deputies voted for the adoption of the law.

New standard: no less than 10 subsistence minimums

The essence of the innovation lies in establishing a minimum threshold for financial support. According to the text of the law, the monthly income of police officers and civil protection service employees (both enlisted and officer ranks) cannot be lower than ten times the subsistence minimum for able-bodied persons.

The calculation is based on the indicator established on January 1 of the current calendar year. At the moment, the subsistence minimum amount is 3,328 hryvnias, which means a minimum guaranteed salary of 33,280 hryvnias. This decision is intended to eliminate the existing imbalance in wages between various agencies and ensure decent conditions for service.

Effective dates and payment structure

The application of new accrual conditions is planned from January 1, 2027. Legislators and experts view this step as a necessary mechanism to stimulate the selection of qualified personnel and ensure proper material working conditions in the context of a full-scale war.

The law details the structure of payments, distinguishing conditions for service within the country and abroad:

  • Service abroad: For employees on official business trips outside Ukraine, the payment of basic remuneration in hryvnia is maintained. In addition to this, remuneration in foreign currency is provided in accordance with norms approved by the government.
  • Business trips within the country: Law enforcement officers sent to other state authorities or institutions receive financial support on general terms determined by the Cabinet of Ministers.

Position of the National Police leadership

The Head of the National Police of Ukraine, Ivan Vygovsky, highly appreciated the adoption of the document. He emphasized that fair financial support is a matter of respect for people who serve daily in extreme conditions. Police officers are the first to arrive at shelling sites, save people from rubble, evacuate civilians, and document war crimes.

"The risks, responsibility, and workload borne by police officers require a worthy assessment by the state," noted Vygovsky. He also pointed out that the need to eliminate the difference in salaries between various law enforcement agencies has been discussed repeatedly, and this law has become an important step in solving the problem.

Context of the labor market in Ukraine

The adoption of the law takes place against the backdrop of a difficult situation in the Ukrainian labor market. Statistics show a significant difference in wages between men and women: in the first quarter of 2026, the average income of women was approximately 27% lower. The largest gender gap was recorded in the fields of arts, finance, and IT.

Nevertheless, employers in the country are ready to offer high salaries for scarce specialists. Currently, incomes up to 170,000 hryvnias a month are available not only in the IT sector or in managerial positions, but also in technical and working professions. The new law for law enforcement officers can be viewed as an attempt by the state to compete for personnel and retain specialists in the security system against the backdrop of rising wages in other sectors of the economy.