Accounting for Representative Offices in Ukraine
A representative office of a foreign company in Ukraine lives under two sets of rules: Ukrainian tax legislation on one side and the head office’s reporting requirements on the other. MK Audit has been keeping the books of representative offices of non-residents for over 20 years: corporate income tax, VAT, payroll for foreign and Ukrainian staff, statutory reporting and head-office reports in English, including under IFRS.
You get an accounting team that understands the specifics of a representative office, speaks the head office’s language and keeps the Ukrainian operation in strict compliance with the law. The firm employs not only auditors and accountants but also lawyers who draft contracts, handle employment matters and support registration procedures.
What is included
- tax registration of the representative office and accounting set-up from scratch;
- bookkeeping and tax accounting, accounting for funding received from the head office;
- calculation of corporate income tax for a permanent establishment, VAT and payroll taxes;
- payroll for Ukrainian and foreign employees, social security contributions, personal income tax, military levy (payroll outsourcing);
- HR records and work permits for foreign employees together with our lawyers (HR administration);
- preparation and filing of reports with the tax office, Pension Fund and statistics authorities;
- monthly or quarterly head-office reports in English, transformation into the group format or IFRS;
- monitoring of transactions with the parent company and, where required, the controlled transactions report;
- support during tax inspections and requests, advice for the head of the representative office.
The scope of accounting depends on the status of the representative office.
| Type of office | Activity | What we handle |
|---|---|---|
| Non-commercial representative office | Marketing and representative functions without earning income in Ukraine | Accounting for funding and expenses, payroll, reporting, confirmation of non-commercial status |
| Permanent establishment | Business activity and income in Ukraine | Full bookkeeping, corporate income tax, VAT, payroll, reporting, head-office reports |
| Office of an international NGO | Implementation of donor-funded projects | Project accounting under budgets, reports to donors and headquarters, audit preparation |
Who needs it
- representative offices of foreign companies that have just registered in Ukraine;
- permanent establishments that conduct business and pay corporate income tax;
- offices of international non-governmental organisations and charitable foundations working with donor funds (see accounting for NGOs and business);
- subsidiary LLCs of foreign groups that need one accounting team for both the Ukrainian company and the representative office;
- head offices that want clear reporting from Ukraine without intermediaries.
How we work
- Request and proposal. You describe the office: status, number of employees, transaction volume, head-office reporting format. We send a commercial proposal within 1 day, in English if required.
- Contract and checklist. We sign a contract with the representative office or the head office and agree on the group reporting calendar and the list of documents.
- Delivery. We keep the books, run payroll, file statutory reports in Ukraine and prepare head-office reports in the agreed template.
- Results and support. The head office receives reports in English on the agreed dates, the head of the office receives advice on tax and employment matters, and during inspections we represent the office’s interests.
Documents you will need
- registration documents of the representative office and its tax registration;
- power of attorney for the head of the office, regulations on the representative office;
- funding budget from the head office and bank statements;
- employment contracts, work permits for foreign employees, staffing table;
- lease agreements, contracts with suppliers and clients in Ukraine;
- group reporting templates and the head office’s accounting policy.
Timing
Setting up accounting for a new representative office takes up to 10 business days after we receive the documents. Head-office reports are prepared within the deadlines agreed with the group, usually by the 10th day of the following month. Ukrainian statutory reports are filed within the legal deadlines.
Leave a request in the form below: a commercial proposal after reviewing your assignment, reply within 1 day.
Do you prepare head-office reports in English?
Yes. We prepare reports in Ukrainian and English in the format used by the group, including IFRS.
Can the office’s accounting be handled remotely?
Yes. Document flow is electronic, reports are filed online, and we communicate with the head office by e-mail and video calls.
Do you help with employing foreign nationals?
Yes. The firm’s lawyers obtain work permits, and our accountants run payroll for foreign employees taking their tax status into account.
Does a representative office need an audit?
A statutory audit depends on the office’s status and indicators, but head offices often order a voluntary audit to confirm the office’s expenses.