Reception and integration of displaced people from Ukraine

Written by Maria Margarita Mentzelopoulou.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, more than 4 million Ukrainians have been welcomed under the temporary protection scheme in the EU. From the beginning of the war, the European Commission, national, regional and local authorities, together with civil society and international organisations, have worked to facilitate the reception and the integration of people fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Background

The EU responded rapidly to Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine by activating, for the first time ever, the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD), which gave people fleeing the war legal status, immediate protection and stability. Rights under the TPD include access to a residence permit, to the labour market and housing, to medical and social welfare assistance, and to education for children and teenagers, and the possibility to travel within the EU and in and out of Ukraine – under certain conditions. In addition, any legal resident in the EU has the right to access banking services.

Receiving and integrating displaced people from Ukraine in the EU has been a notably different task from similar efforts with regard to other groups of asylum seekers and refugees, as the EU and its Member States have had to smoothly adapt and swiftly increase reception capacity. Authorities have had to provide guidance on how to address Ukrainians’ needs for housing, education, employment and healthcare, with particular focus on special care needs, for instance, for unaccompanied children and people who have faced torture or violence. Several challenges have emerged, for instance, as regards monitoring the integration process, providing adequate support to groups in vulnerable situations and addressing the ‘waiting dilemma’, as many people might want to return to their home country once it is safe again. However, one of the main challenges in the coordination between EU, national and local authorities on reception and integration has been information outreach to people fleeing Ukraine. Another such challenge has been the uncertainty regarding the length of stay, which directly affects planning for both local authorities and beneficiaries. Thus, across the different sectors, it has been crucial to increase local capacity and apply the necessary administrative flexibility to facilitate procedures in place.

EU actions to support reception and promote integration

To address this situation, the Commission issued operational guidelines to support the Member States in applying the TPD, and a 10-point plan for stronger EU coordination in welcoming people fleeing Ukraine. Additionally, the Solidarity platform – set up in close cooperation with Member States and the Schengen-associated states, EU agencies, international partners and the Ukrainian government – monitors the needs identified in the Member States and coordinates their operational response. The College of Commissioners appointed a Special Advisor for Ukraine to assist and coordinate the Commission’s efforts in promoting the integration of displaced people from Ukraine as regards work, housing, education and healthcare. The EU rapidly made adequate funding available to the Member States to assist them in supporting those fleeing the war and in exercising smooth border management.

Housing

The TPD provides for the right to suitable accommodation and housing. To find solutions to the urgent situation, Member States applied diverse models combining public reception with private accommodation offers. Initiatives vary from repurposing public facilities, collaborating with private entities offering housing, and enabling people to opt for independent lease contracts. Thus, besides giving Member States support to expand their reception capacity, the Commission has also offered them safe homes guidance to encourage private housing initiatives. There are many examples of how this hybrid approach works in practice. In Ireland, for instance, the International Organization for Migration screens and examines private housing offers before referrals, in collaboration with local authorities and the Red Cross. In Luxembourg, information is provided to host families by social workers available via the Red Cross switchboard. Gothenburg, Sweden, in partnership with NGOs, quickly opened two evacuation shelters (Skyddsvärnet and Räddningsmissionen) and facilitated private accommodation solutions. The same solution was applied by the local authorities of Belgium, France and Slovakia, which facilitated contracts with private hosts.

Healthcare

Ukrainians, being beneficiaries of temporary protection (BTPs), have access to healthcare in their host Member State. Thus, they are entitled to a broad range of sickness benefits and to accessing the host Member State’s public healthcare system. In addition, under certain national rules, where Ukrainians are regarded as fully insured, they may also receive a European Health Insurance Card. To cater to people from Ukraine in urgent need of specialised hospital treatment and care, the Commission set up a solidarity mechanism for medical transfers of refugees and displaced persons within the EU. In addition, the Commission prioritises children’s access to routine vaccinations, while coordinating targeted actions on mental health and trauma support. For example, in Belgium, BTPs are entitled to free public health insurance. Similarly, in France they may benefit from universal health protection, as well as complementary health insurance. Mental Health Finland organised a crisis helpline and training for its staff workers and volunteers, many of whom are themselves displaced persons from Ukraine. In Sweden, the Västra Götaland Regional Council established a dedicated organisation to deal with displaced Ukrainians’ health issues. To address the acute traumas of displaced people, the Vienna Social Fund, together with other organisations, offers psychological care and psychiatric outreach consultations.

Education

Besides providing guidance on supporting the inclusion of displaced children from Ukraine in education, the Commission is also financing support for schools, vocational education and training, and also for early childhood education and care, to accommodate these childen’s needs. Moreover, the EU Education Solidarity Group for Ukraine seeks to identify the needs of children from Ukraine and support Member States hosting them. In addition, through the School Education Gateway, the Commission provides access to learning materials in Ukrainian and offers online resources and courses for teachers. To further support those with a teacher’s background among the displaced, they get access to EU programmes and exchanges in the eTwinning community. Member States support the integration of displaced children by granting them full access to their education systems or offer them introductory courses. Estonia, for instance, established the Freedom School, where 29 of the staff are teachers and the support specialists are from Ukraine. Poland established a Ukrainian school allowing displaced children to study in Ukrainian and follow the Ukrainian curriculum. At the same time, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and NGOs have fostered language acquisition at schools in Bratislava, Slovakia, Italy and Czechia.

Jobs

Under the TPD, displaced people from Ukraine have the right to be employed or self-employed, in accordance with Member States’ laws. The Commission published guidance to help people fleeing the war access jobs, training and adult learning and, together with the European Labour Authority, launched the EU Talent Pool pilot to help people fleeing the war find a job in the EU. Moreover, the Commission has taken initiatives to facilitate the recognition of qualifications obtained in Ukraine, for instance, by setting up a resource hub and comparing the Ukrainian and European Qualifications Frameworks. Furthermore, Ukrainian jobseekers can acquire new language and basic digital skills under the Pact for Skills. The European Research Area for Ukraine portal is a hub for information and support services to Ukraine-based researchers and researchers fleeing Ukraine. Overall, it is shown that Ukrainians have been entering the labour market shortly after their arrival in EU Member States. For instance, in Poland, about 30 % of working-age Ukrainians had found a job by the end of May 2022, while in Lithuania over 27°000 Ukrainians were in employment by August 2023. Estonian employers have the possibility to request financial support for job-related training for employees who are BTPs. The role of dedicated public employment services at national and local level has also been crucial in supporting temporary protection beneficiaries in searching for employment or training, as in the case of AMS in Austria, Actiris in Brussels (Belgium), and Eesti Töötukassa in Estonia. In Latvia, Ukrainian medical personnel and teachers were permitted to access the labour market directly after their arrival.

Read this ‘at a glance’ note on ‘Reception and integration of displaced people from Ukraine‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.