The number of Ukrainian refugees who find work in Germany is increasing. Nevertheless, there are some challenges, as a study shows.
More and more people seeking protection from Ukraine are finding jobs on the German labor market. The employment rate among refugee Ukrainians who came to Germany by June 2022 has almost doubled within just under two years, according to a study by the Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB). While the rate was still 16 percent in the summer of 2022, it rose to 30 percent by the spring of this year.
The data is based on a study by the BiB and the family demographic panel. Since 2022, the same Ukrainian refugees have been questioned at regular intervals about their living situation. According to the BiB, there are currently around 1.1 million Ukrainians living in Germany who have fled the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.
Despite the increasing rate, experts still criticize the many hurdles that stand in the way of Ukrainians seeking protection when looking for a job. The poor economic situation, lengthy recognition procedures for foreign professional qualifications and sometimes existing residency requirements would have a negative impact on a successful job search.
Lack of language skills as a hurdle
According to the BiB, 30 percent of the people surveyed said they were actively looking for work. But women with children in particular find it particularly difficult: the employment rate for mothers with small children is only 22 percent, while for mothers with school children it is 32 percent. There is no such connection with men, said the director of the BiB, Katharina Spieß. The employment rate among Ukrainian men with underage children is 41 percent.
The majority of those who are not looking for work do so because of language barriers: 92 percent of them are still attending a language course or do not have sufficient knowledge of German. Caring for children or caring for relatives (37 percent) also plays a role.
Source: Stern