The latest European Migration Network (EMN) inform focuses on the labour market integration of beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine across EMN Member and Observer countries. The inform analyses employment trends, policy priorities, and measures aimed at facilitating the integration of displaced people from Ukraine into host countries' labour markets.
Eurostat data indicates that by December 2023, over 4.3 million non-EU citizens who fled Ukraine due to the Russian invasion were under temporary protection in the EU. Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic have hosted approximately 60% of these individuals.
The EMN-OECD joint inform “Labour market integration of beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine” highlights insights on labour market integration of beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine. It showcases rising employment rates, policy priorities, and measures across European countries and non-EU OECD countries, emphasizing the need for tailored strategies to address challenges effectively.
EMN Member and Observer Countries and non-EU Members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reported a notable increase in the total number of beneficiaries of temporary protection between September 2022 and 2023. However, those employment rates vary across countries. At the end of 2023, the highest employment rates were observed in Lithuania, the Netherlands, Estonia, Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Spain and Ireland.
The top five sectors employing beneficiaries of temporary protection include accommodation and food service, administrative and support service activities, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, and construction.
Data from the inform reveal that over 60% of beneficiaries of temporary protection have completed tertiary education. Nevertheless, significant mismatches exist between their education or prior employment in Ukraine and their current employment in host countries, often in low-skilled occupations. Challenges such as qualification recognition, language barriers, and uncertainty regarding stay duration contribute to these outcomes. Despite these challenges, early labour market integration of beneficiaries of temporary protection has shown promising trends, with some countries reporting employment rates exceeding 50%.
The inform emphasizes that host countries have adopted varied policies, strategies and measures in addressing labour market integration for beneficiaries of temporary protection. In this regard, immediate labour market access and achieving self-sufficiency are crucial. The majority of host countries report targeted measures to facilitate employment of beneficiaries of temporary protection in roles that align with their competencies. These focus primarily on qualification recognition, language acquisition, and specific sectors, with some specifically targeting women.