Guide to Ukraine: helpful information for foreign visitors

<ul><li> Guide to Ukraine helpful information for foreign visitors www.softheme.com </li> <li> Table of Contents Ukraine: Kiev, the capital: <ul><li> General information </li> <li> Arriving in Kiev </li> <li> Top hotels </li> <li> Public transport </li> <li> Restaurants </li> <li> Sightseeing </li> <li> Mailing and calling </li> <li> Car rental </li> <li> Foreign embassies </li> <li> General information </li> <li> Time zone </li> <li> Public holidays </li> <li> Political system </li> <li> Banking system </li> <li> Education in Ukraine </li> <li> IT outsourcing </li> <li> Visas and customs</li></ul>www.softheme.com Outsourcing to Softheme Guide to Ukraine: helpful information for foreign visitors </li> <li> Ukraine: General information <ul><li>Second-largest country in Europe after Russia </li> <li> Population: 45.7 million (2009 est.) </li> <li> Workforce: 23 million (2009 est.) </li> <li> Situated in the heart of Europe: </li> <li> strategic position between Europe and Asia on the intersection of major transport and trade routes</li></ul>www.softheme.com Outsourcing to Softheme Guide to Ukraine: helpful information for foreign visitors </li> <li> Ukraine: Time zone <ul><li>Ukrainian time zone is GMT +2 hours </li> <li> Time difference between Ukraine and other countries has become a significant advantage for IT outsourcing </li> <li> Ukrainian time zone also provides effective use of proximity to Western European countries: </li> <li> air flights to major European capitals take from 1 to 4 hours</li></ul>Table 1.1: Time difference between Ukraine and other locations www.softheme.com Outsourcing to Softheme Guide to Ukraine: helpful information for foreign visitors </li> <li> Ukraine: Public holidays Calendar 2010: Public Holidays in Ukraine <ul><li>Ukraines public holidays in 2010: </li> <li> January 1 New Years Day </li> <li> January 7 Orthodox Christmas Day </li> <li> March 8 International Womens Day </li> <li> April 4 Orthodox Easter </li> <li> May 1-2 International Labor </li> <li> May 9 Victory Day </li> <li> May 23 Orthodox Pentecost </li> <li> June 28 Constitution Day </li> <li> August 24 Ukrainian Independence Day</li></ul>* In red public holidays and the days off transferred to Mondays or Tuesdays. www.softheme.com Outsourcing to Softheme Guide to Ukraine: helpful information for foreign visitors </li> <li> Ukraine: Political system <ul><li>The powers of the government of Ukraine are specified by the Constitution of Ukraine and are divided into three branches:</li></ul>The legislative the Verkhovna Rada (Supreme Council of Ukraine): <ul><li>consists of 450 peoples deputies who are elected for a term of 4 years </li> <li> the majority of seats in Verkhovna Rada are held by:</li></ul>The executive the Cabinet of Ministers: <ul><li>responsible to the President of Ukraine</li></ul>The judicial the Supreme Court of Ukraine and Party of Regions Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc www.softheme.com Outsourcing to Softheme Guide to Ukraine: helpful information for foreign visitors </li> <li> Ukraine: Banking system <ul><li>TheUkrainian banking system is a two-tier structure consisting of the:</li></ul>National Bank of Ukraine Commercial banks of various types and forms of ownership, including: <ul><li>the state-owned Export-Import Bank </li> <li> specialized commercial Savings Bank </li> <li> As of January 1, 1998, the banking system of Ukraine has transferred to the international accounting and statistics standards </li> <li> The official currency of Ukraine is Hryvnia</li></ul>Table 2.1: Popular currency exchange rates (as of April 6, 2010) www.softheme.com Outsourcing to Softheme Guide to Ukraine: helpful information for foreign visitors </li> <li> Ukraine: Education <ul><li>Ranked 32nd in Education on the 2009 Legatum Prosperity Index of 104 countries </li> <li> About 70% of adult population have secondary or higher education </li> <li> Nearly 60% of Ukrainian universities have graduates with majors in physics, mathematics and programming</li></ul>Table 3.1: Sources of IT Employees in Ukraine www.softheme.com Outsourcing to Softheme Guide to Ukraine: helpful information for foreign visitors </li> <li> Ukraine: IT outsourcing <ul><li>Ukraine has become an attractive outsourcing destination for many companies around the world, due to : </li> <li> growing pool of qualified human resources </li> <li> European mentality </li> <li> competitive outsourcing rates </li> <li> Outsourcing accounts for more than 70% of software development work in UA </li> <li> Steady growth of IT outsourcing market in the past 5 years </li> <li> Ranked 4th after Russia with almost 40% growth and over $3.4 billion in volume in 2007 </li> <li> The highest IT industry growth rate among CEE countries in 2007</li></ul>www.softheme.com Outsourcing to Softheme Guide to Ukraine: helpful information for foreign visitors </li> <li> Ukraine: Visas and customs <ul><li>The citizens of the following countries can enter Ukraine visa-free and stay up to 90 days: </li> <li> the countries of EU, Andorra, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Mongolia, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, the USA, Vatican, and the countries of the CIS </li> <li> What you can import free of customs duties and taxes:</li></ul>goods valued less than 200 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco 1 liter of hard alcohol food products valued no more than 50 2 liters of wine www.softheme.com Outsourcing to Softheme Guide to Ukraine: helpful information for foreign visitors </li> <li> Kiev: General information <ul><li>Kiev (also spelled Kyiv) is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine located on the Dnieper River </li> <li> Population: 2.8 million (2009 est.) </li> <li> Ethnic composition of inhabitants: </li> <li> Ukrainians (70%) </li> <li> Russians (20%) </li> <li> others (10%)</li></ul>Kiev-Pechersk Lavra <ul><li>Kiev is an important industrial, scientific, educational and cultural centre of Eastern Europe </li> <li> Has an extensive infrastructure and highly developed system of public transport, including the Kiev Metro (subway)</li></ul>www.softheme.com Outsourcing to Softheme Guide to Ukraine: helpful information for foreign visitors </li> <li> Kiev: Arriving in Kiev <ul><li>Kiev offers four main ways of arrival:</li></ul>By plane arrival to Boryspil State International Airport <ul><li>located 34km east of Kiev </li> <li> taxi to the city center: 30-45 minute ride costing about 150-200 UAH (20-25 USD)</li></ul>2. By train arrival to the Kiev Central Railway Station <ul><li>located on the edge of the city center </li> <li> taxi to the city center: 5-10 minute ride costing about 50 UAH (6-7 USD)</li></ul>www.softheme.com Outsourcing to Softheme Guide to Ukraine: helpful information for foreign visitors </li> <li> Kiev: Arriving in Kiev 3. By bus arrival to the Kiev Central Bus Station <ul><li>taxi to the city center: 10-15 minute ride costing around 50 UAH (6-7 USD)</li></ul>4. By car <ul><li>foreign cars are allowed to stay on Ukrainian territory for no more than 2 months </li> <li> automobile insurance is obligatory in Ukraine </li> <li> it is advised to purchase green car insurance valid for Ukraine in your home country</li></ul>www.softheme.com Outsourcing to Softheme Guide to Ukraine: helpful information for foreign visitors </li> <li> Kiev: Top hotels <ul><li>On arriving to Kiev you will need a place to stay. Check some of Kievs best hotels:</li></ul>1. Premier Palace Service level: 5* Price (single/day): 278-325 Phone: (+30 44) 537 4501 E-mail: reservation@premier-palace.com URL: www.premier-palace.com 2. Radisson SAS Service level: 4* Price (single/day): 360 Phone: (+30 44) 492 2200 E-mail: reservations.kiev@radissonsas.com URL: www.kiev.radissonsas.com www.softheme.com Outsourcing to Softheme Guide to Ukraine: helpful information for foreign visitors </li> <li> Kiev: Top hotels 3. Riviera Hotel Service level: 4* Price (single/day): 214-263 Phone: (+30 44) 581 2828 E-mail: reservation@rivierahotel.com.ua URL: www.rivierahotel.com.ua 4. Khreschatyk Hotel Service level: 3* Price (single/day): 76-80 Phone: (+30 44) 229 7193 E-mail: reservation@khreschatik.kiev.ua URL: www.khreschatik.kiev.ua www.softheme.com Outsourcing to Softheme Guide to Ukraine: helpful information for foreign visitors </li> <li> Kiev: Public transport <ul><li>Kiev offers a variety of public transportation means to get you around the city:</li></ul>Metro (subway) <ul><li>most popular transport in Kiev (timeliness, speed and convenience) </li> <li> cost of one trip is 1.70 UAH</li></ul>2. Trolleybuses, trams and buses <ul><li>not very fast and reliable due to traffic jams </li> <li> cost per one trip is 1.50 UAH</li></ul>www.softheme.com Outsourcing to Softheme Guide to Ukraine: helpful information for foreign visitors </li> <li> Kiev: Public transport <ul><li>Kiev offers a variety of public transportation means to get you around the city:</li></ul>3. Marshrutkas <ul><li>the most popular surface means of transport (speed and frequency) </li> <li> cost per one trip ranges from 2 to 3 UAH</li></ul>2. Funicular <ul><li>functions since 1905 </li> <li> offers a spectacular panorama of the Dnieper River </li> <li> cost of one trip is 1.50 UAH</li></ul>www.softheme.com Outsourcing to Softheme Guide to Ukraine: helpful information for foreign visitors </li> <li> Kiev: Restaurants <ul><li>Restaurants in Kiev offer cuisines nearly fromall corners of the world: </li> <li> Japanese sushi </li> <li> Italian pizza </li> <li> Mexican Chili Diablo </li> <li> Caucasian shashliks </li> <li> German schnitzels </li> <li> Russian pelmeni </li> <li> Ukrainian varenyky </li> <li> and more </li> <li> Most of Kievs eating places will offer priceslower than in other European cities </li> <li> Rewarding waiters in Kievs restaurants is up to you, yet, most visitors leave around 10% of their bill as tips </li> <li> Some restaurants include a service charge of 5-10%, so reading bills or asking a waiter will be helpful</li></ul>www.softheme.com Outsourcing to Softheme Guide to Ukraine: helpful information for foreign visitors </li> <li> Kiev: Sightseeing <ul><li>Kiev belongs to one of the most spectacular sightseeing places in Europe </li> <li> Take your time to see Kievs famous: </li> <li> gold-domed churches and cathedrals </li> <li> magnificent sanctuaries </li> <li> ancient caves </li> <li> museums and historical monuments </li> <li> Kiev has the highest number of square kilometers occupied by park zones in Europe </li> <li> Don't forget to take some unique souvenirs back home the citys famous Andriivskyi Uzviz offers a wide selection of beautiful reminders of Kiev</li></ul>www.softheme.com Outsourcing to Softheme Guide to Ukraine: helpful information for foreign visitors </li> <li> Kiev:...</li></ul>