This paper considers the issue, whether social enterprises can perform the import substitution function, and that thing becomes very crucial especially during the period of anti-Russian sanctions. In order to derive the potential of social enterprise in the field of import substitution, the principle of four criteria, implying, that the increase of import substitution efficiency should be attained by realization of following ways: attaining the technological provision of production, increasing the technological equipment of companies, sectors; attaining the financial provision of production; development of the support infrastructure; organizing the competent promotion of domestic producers products, which are main for the import substitution sectors. It is the compliance of social enterprise to these four criteria that is the indicator of the fact that this enterprise has a certain potential in the field of import substitution. This approach is approved on an analysis of four cases, presenting different types of social enterprises in foreign countries. In the end of the paper different mechanisms of supporting social enterprises by the state and different external institutions enhancing the increase of social enterprise potential in the field of import substitution are provided. The conclusion of the necessity of revision of the social entrepreneurship law is derived, in order to write in it the aid provided to social enterprises by the state as a compulsory condition. Now this law states that “the state may provide the aid to social enterprises”, and this means that the non-compulsory nature of support by the state is launched, and that creates the prerequisites of forming the pragmatic state, not the social one. Such formulation cannot not to influence negatively on the possibility growth of social enterprises for import substitution.