Gender imbalance, unemployment, relocation: how Ukrainian migrants live in Europe (infographic)
The sociodemographic profile of the Ukrainian refugee is constantly changing, because migration is a wave-like phenomenon and depends on many factors. Someone went abroad impulsively at the beginning of the war and returned home after a short time. For some, on the contrary, it took one and a half or two years to dare to leave the borders of their native country in search of a better life, and such “considered” emigrants are not going to return. Someone has already found a job abroad, someone is still learning the language in order to go to work. Someone entered higher education, someone had a new addition to the family. Who are they, Ukrainians abroad, now?
As of mid-July 2024, according to data According to the UN refugee agency, more than 6.58 million Ukrainians were forced to leave their country due to the war and are currently abroad.
Of these, more than 6 million found refuge in European countries, while the rest — about half a million — sought safety in other regions of the world. These figures tell not only about the scale of migration, but also about the continuity of the flow of resettlement that covered Ukraine and Ukrainians with the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
Infographic: IA “FACT”
The majority of Ukrainians currently live in Germany, which is due to the most favorable social policy towards migrants and wide opportunities for integration. Germany offers Ukrainian refugees not only housing and social benefits, but also access to free medical care, educational programs and language courses. In addition, the German labor market actively promotes the employment of migrants, which allows Ukrainians to adapt faster and restore economic stability in new conditions.
Such approaches attract not only those who initially chose Germany as a refuge, but also Ukrainians who previously found refuge in other European countries. The process of secondary migration proves that many Ukrainians, faced with less favorable conditions in other countries, decide to move to Germany in search of better opportunities for themselves and their families.
Infographic: IA “FACT”
It is interesting to get acquainted with the portrait of Ukrainian migrants in terms of employment. It is a pity that only 33% of our citizens have a job in the host country. 5% work remotely, that is, they have income from Ukraine. It is clear that these are funds that many lack for normal support abroad. This creates an additional financial burden and requires them to find additional sources of income or work in the local labor market, which is not always possible.
20% of Ukrainians who left the country remain unemployed. This is a significant indicator, which can have negative consequences both for the migrants themselves and for the countries receiving them. Lack of work not only limits their ability to provide for themselves, but can also lead to social isolation and poor mental health.
5% of Ukrainian migrants are students, who usually study at the expense of the receiving country, but have to work part-time to cover all current expenses.
Infographic: IA “FACT”
And finally, let’s point out the gender and age characteristics of our migrants. They are quite expected: women prevail. This is especially evident in those age categories in which men are prohibited from crossing the border.
The high proportion of women among Ukrainian migrants increases the gender imbalance among migrants. This can have important social consequences, in particular for the formation of family structures in refugee-hosting countries, as well as for the integration of Ukrainian migrant women into local communities.
In general, the socio-demographic portrait of Ukrainian refugees reflects a complex process of adaptation and integration in new countries, which requires systematic support from the receiving states to ensure long-term stability and well-being both for the migrants themselves and for the societies that receive them.
