Displaced Ukrainians in European Labour Markets: Leveraging innovations for more inclusive integration
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Highlights
Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine displaced millions of Ukrainians into Europe; innovations in credential recognition and flexible training can help them reach their potential.
- Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine triggered Europe's largest displacement since World War II. Most displaced Ukrainians are women and children, many with tertiary degrees.
- Employment rates vary widely across Europe; language barriers, credential recognition difficulties, and lack of affordable child care push many Ukrainians into low-skilled jobs below their qualifications.
- Employers have shown unusual solidarity with Ukrainian newcomers, with job-matching platforms and temporary regulatory waivers helping speed their entry into the labour market.
- Adopting career pathway approaches for qualified professionals, building flexible modular training, expanding second-chance integration offerings, and engaging employers in service delivery could improve integration outcomes.
The war in Ukraine has led millions of displaced Ukrainians to seek protection in European countries since February 2022, and welcoming new arrivals has put enormous pressure on reception and integration systems. But with the right supports, displaced Ukrainians could also potentially help address some of Europe’s pervasive skill shortages. Many newcomers have a tertiary education, and the EU decision to activate the Temporary Protection Directive has provided swift access to clear residence and work rights.
Early evidence suggests that displaced Ukrainians’ labor market entry is progressing well, with many working-age adults finding jobs. However, challenges such as language barriers, difficulties getting foreign credentials recognized, and trouble securing child care have limited some Ukrainians’ ability to enter the labor market and find a job commensurate with their skills. A desire among many to return to Ukraine, as circumstances allow, is also shaping their decisions about finding work and participating in integration and training programs.
This report explores how displaced Ukrainians are faring in European labor markets, including what is known about their early labor market outcomes and the barriers they face when seeking work. It also examines how governments can work together with civil society and employers to help new arrivals find quality jobs and, in doing so, help European societies benefit from their skills.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 A Snapshot of Ukrainians’ Integration into European Labor Markets
A. How Many Are Finding Work?
B. What Kinds of Jobs Do They Hold?
3 Strategies to Help Displaced Ukrainians Find Quality Jobs
A. Connecting Ukrainians with Employers
B. Lifting Labor Market Restrictions
C. Helping New Arrivals Access Child Care
D. Making Integration Services More Flexible and Accessible
E. Offering Tailored Training for Qualified Professionals
F. Streamlining Qualifications Recognition Procedures
4 Conclusions and Recommendations
Integration Futures Working Group
The Integration Futures Working Group convenes senior European policymakers and others to debate forward-looking integration policy through peer exchange, original research, and off-the-record dialogue to achieve better integration outcomes.
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