Mobilization deferment: who loses it and how to continue your reservation.
Deferral from Mobilization: Who Loses It and How to Continue the Reservation
In Ukraine, martial law and general mobilization will be in effect until May 9, 2025.
According to the new mobilization rules that came into effect in 2025, all reservations made before December 1, 2024, will expire on February 28, 2025, reports TSN.
Additionally, conscripts who applied for a deferral through the "Reserve+" app before February 8, 2025, must log into the app again and update their information to extend their deferral for another three months. Otherwise, the deferral may be lost.
Who Can Lose Their Reservation and Deferral
Criticality of Enterprises
On February 28, 2025, the reservation period will end for all conscripted men in Ukraine.
Enterprises that do not submit documents for re-confirmation will lose their status as critically important, and their employees will lose their reservations. Companies that confirm their "criticality" will be able to reserve employees for a year.
Member of the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Development, Dmitry Kisilevsky, noted that the need to revise criteria arose due to identified abuses, such as a sudden increase in the number of employees or a decrease in salaries to the minimum level.
Deputy Director of the Directorate for Development of Electronic Services of the Ministry of Digital Transformation, Valeria Koval, emphasized that to maintain the status of a critically important enterprise, it must meet new requirements, including:
- an average salary of at least 20,000 hryvnias per month;
- absence of tax debts.
Enterprises that receive the status of critically important will be checked by central executive authorities or regional military administrations. If violations are found, the status may be revoked.
If it turns out that a reserved employee earns less than 20,000 hryvnias per month, the company will lose its critically important status. For the next six months, it will also not be able to apply for employee reservations.
Re-reservation within 72 Hours
After February 28, leaders of critically important enterprises must re-reserve their employees within 72 hours through the "Diya" portal.
Lawyer Marina Bekalo explained that conscripts who employers do not manage to reserve, or employees of enterprises that have lost their critically important status, may be called up for military service starting February 28, 2025.
Reservations made after December 1, 2024, under the new rules (according to Cabinet Resolution No. 1332) are valid for a specified period.
Who Has the Right to a Deferral
According to lawyer Ekaterina Anishchenko, students and parents of three or more children can automatically extend their deferral if they have valid military registration documents.
It is important that parents are officially registered as guardians of all children from the same mother. The lawyer recommends updating data in the military reserve independently, despite the term "automatically."
Moreover, the TCC now scrutinizes notarial statements for deferrals for caring for relatives with disabilities more carefully. Military commissions may request information about other relatives who could provide care.
The right to a deferral is also granted to:
- relatives of those missing under special circumstances;
- citizens imprisoned due to armed aggression against Ukraine (e.g., prisoners of war);
- men with parents who have a disability of group III;
- employees of critically important enterprises;
- civil servants;
- individuals with family circumstances (parents of three or more minor children, sole guardians caring for dependent relatives or individuals with disabilities of groups I–II);
- individuals with disabilities or serious health issues.
Deferral for Students
In Ukraine, students pursuing their first higher education are exempt from mobilization.
The right to a deferral is granted to:
- bachelor's and master's students (if the master's program follows immediately after the bachelor's);
- students of vocational and higher educational institutions;
- postgraduates (on budget and contract), studying in full-time or dual form;
- doctoral candidates and interns;
- scientific and scientific-pedagogical workers (employed at least 0.75 rate).
To obtain a deferral, a student must provide a study certificate with a state seal, specifically prepared for TCC and SP.
If a student was previously expelled and enrolled anew instead of being reinstated, they lose the right to a deferral. Additionally, the deferral does not apply to students of foreign universities.
Extending a Deferral
Conscripts who applied for a deferral through "Reserve+" must log into the app again on February 8 and click "Apply for Deferral" to extend the period for another three months.
Lawyer Daria Tarasenko explained that the expiration of the deferral does not automatically mean mobilization. If the right to a deferral is retained, it can be reapplied for.
Deferral periods:
- for reserved individuals – the period specified in the reservation documents;
- for individuals with disabilities – for the entire duration of disability;
- for temporarily unfit individuals – the period specified in the VLK conclusion (up to 12 months);
- for civil servants – for the time spent in office;
- for students – for one semester, but no more than 6 months;
- for researchers – until the end of the academic year;
- for family members of the missing or deceased – for the duration of the basis.
Automatic extension of the deferral does not require actions from the conscript or the commission.
Who Will Get 100% "Reservation"
The government has allowed the reservation of 100% of medical workers in state and communal medical institutions.
According to Cabinet Resolution No. 36 dated January 14, 2025, the following conscripts are subject to reservation:
- employees of state and communal healthcare institutions;
- public health establishments;
- centers for forensic and forensic psychiatric examinations, blood centers.
Additionally, 100% reservation applies to prosecutors of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP).
Cancellation of Deferral
According to Cabinet Resolution No. 1558 dated December 31, 2024, a deferral obtained through "Reserve+" may be automatically canceled if the system detects that the conscript has lost the right to it.
If the registers do not confirm the right to a deferral, the TCC will contact the conscript for additional documents.
How to Obtain a Deferral
To obtain a deferral in 2025, it is necessary to provide official documents confirming the right to it.
Changes in legislation also establish a new procedure for reserving employees, which is now carried out by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine instead of the Ministry of Economy.
Some categories of conscripts (e.g., students, individuals with disabilities, parents of many children) do not need to visit the TCC – they can apply for a deferral through "Reserve+".
Head of the Legal Service of the Ternopil OTCC and SP, Roman Grunda, noted that a conscript must:
- Gather the necessary documents (according to Cabinet Resolution No. 560).
- Visit the TCC in person at their place of registration.
- Submit documents to the commission.
- Receive a decision on the granting or denial of the deferral.