In Germany, there is an increase in the employment rate among Ukrainians

After the start of a full-scale war in Ukraine, millions of Ukrainians were forced to leave their homes and seek refuge in other countries. One of the main destination countries was Germany, which accepted a significant number of Ukrainian refugees. One of the key challenges for the integration of Ukrainians into German society was the issue of employment. Recently, the employment situation for refugees has gradually improved, in particular thanks to special programs such as Job-Turbo. He said this in German RND member of the board of the Federal Employment Agency (BA) Daniel Terzenbach.
Growth in the level of employment among Ukrainians
As of October 2023, 24.8% of Ukrainians in Germany who received an immediate work permit were employed. By August 2024, this indicator has increased to 29.9%. A total of 272,400 self-paying Ukrainians worked in Germany in August 2024, compared to 197,660 in the previous year.
For comparison, in countries such as Lithuania and Denmark, the share of employed Ukrainians exceeds 50%. However, in Germany the situation is complicated by economic factors that generally affect the labor market and make it difficult for the unemployed to find work.
The role of the Job-Turbo program
The Job-Turbo program, introduced in October 2023, became an important step in solving the issue of employment of Ukrainians in Germany. The purpose of the program is to provide Ukrainians with basic knowledge of the German language with work that best matches their professional qualifications. However, the reality is that a significant number of refugees are engaged in menial jobs, despite the fact that many of them have higher education or are specialists in their fields.
Challenges on the way to employment
One of the main problems is the recognition of qualifications and educational documents of Ukrainians in Germany. The recognition process often takes a long time, which complicates the employment of specialists in the field. Daniel Terzenbach, a member of the board of the Federal Employment Agency, also noted that the bodies responsible for issuing residence permits work too slowly. This creates additional barriers to the integration of refugees into the labor market.
Current situation and prospects
According to the Central Register of Foreigners, as of the end of August 2024, 1.3 million Ukrainians lived in Germany, the vast majority of whom were refugees. Among them, 768,000 were of working age. However, there is an ongoing debate in society regarding payments to refugees who do not work. In October 2024, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said that about 300,000 Ukrainians in Germany do not work and are not trying to get a job. He suggested that the end of social support from Germany could force them to return to their homeland.
Employment of Ukrainian refugees in Germany is an important aspect of their integration into the new society. Despite the successes achieved through the Job-Turbo program, many challenges remain, including a long process of recognition of qualifications and insufficient number of jobs for specialists. Further progress depends on the coordinated actions of the German government, employers and refugees themselves, as well as on the economic stability of the country. The integration of Ukrainians into the labor market will not only help them adapt to new conditions, but also contribute to the development of the German economy.