Temporary protection: key dates for Ukrainians and their employers

Who this is for

• You employ, or want to hire, someone with protection. Ask for the resolution or the TIE card: the resolution itself carries the work authorisation (16 and over). A TIE with a past date is still valid to 4 March 2027 under Orden INT/96/2026 - the BOE text is the proof. If the worker later moves to a work permit, that procedure involves you as the employer.
• You rent to or host a Ukrainian family. Their proof of legal stay is the resolution or the TIE. To register on the padrón at your address they may need your written authorisation if they are not on a rental contract. If they move, they register in the new town and tell the Asylum and Refugee Office (OAR).
• You have temporary protection yourself. If you had protection on 30 July 2026 and did not lose it, it runs on to 4 March 2028 with nothing to file. New applicants since 31 July 2026 must show they have met or are exempt from Ukrainian military-service duties. Protection is valid in one EU country only.
• Staying for good. Since 16 April 2026 (Royal Decree 316/2026) holders can apply from Spain for a work permit, arraigo or long-term residence, and time under protection counts. Once the new permit is granted, they formally renounce protection.

What you need

• Passport (or another document proving nationality)
• Temporary protection decision (resolución) - downloaded from the Ministry of the Interior website; it includes the work authorisation
• TIE card - extended to 4 March 2027 (Orden INT/96/2026, BOE-A-2026-3712)
• A printout of Orden INT/96/2026 from the BOE - useful for travel, employers and landlords if the card shows an older date
• Padrón certificate (certificado de empadronamiento) for the current address
• New applicants: the exit stamp from Ukraine or a document showing military-service duties are met (e.g. from the Reserve+ app)
• Arraigo: form EX-10 and fee 790 code 052, item 2.3.1
• Work permit (modificación): form EX-26 and fee 790-052, item 2.5.2; the employer pays 790-062
• Long-term residence: form EX-11 and fee 790-052, item 2.6
• Proof of renouncing protection (resguardo de renuncia) - for the new TIE

Where to apply - by town

Step by step

1. Check the documents Find the resolution and the TIE. Even if the card shows an old date, it is valid to 4 March 2027 under Orden INT/96/2026. Nobody has to apply for the extension.
2. Watch the BOE before March 2027 Protection runs to 4 March 2028, but the order extending the TIE cards beyond March 2027 had not appeared by 3 November 2026. In 2024, 2025 and 2026 such orders came out in February.
3. Employers: hire as any worker Keep a copy of the resolution or TIE on file. If the person wants a standard work permit after a year in Spain, the procedure (modificación, form EX-26) involves the employer and fee 790-062.
4. Report moves After a move, register on the padrón in the new town and tell the OAR the new address as soon as possible.
5. Travel by the rules With the TIE and a passport, holders can travel in the EU for up to 90 days in any 180. The TIE is not a travel document. Without a TIE, ask Extranjería or the police before a trip to Ukraine whether an autorización de regreso (return permit) is needed.
6. Move to a standard permit Routes: a work permit for 4 years (after a year in Spain, employed or self-employed), arraigo (2 years in Spain, protection time counts) or long-term residence after 5 years. Apply at the Oficina de Extranjería in Alicante or Altea by appointment, or online through Mercurio. A lawyer or gestor can advise on the best route.
7. Where to get help Temporary protection helpline: +34 91 399 00 09. In Torrevieja the CREADE centre gives information, legal advice and access to the reception system. Red Cross 24-hour line in the Valencia region: 900 22 11 22.

Fees and times

Common mistakes

• Turning down a worker because the TIE shows a past date. The card is valid to 4 March 2027 under Orden INT/96/2026.
• Asking a protection holder for a separate work permit: the right to work is in the resolution.
• Renouncing protection "for a while" or losing it. Reapplying makes you a new applicant, with the military-service proof.
• Registering for protection in another EU country without renouncing it in Spain. It is valid in one country only.
• Getting a new permit and not filing the renunciation: without proof of it, no new TIE is issued.
• Paying middlemen to "extend protection": the extension is automatic and free.