New German benefits policy forces refugees to leave some federal states: what does this mean for Ukrainians

For the fourth year, Germany remained one of the key EU countries that accepts Ukrainian refugees within the framework of the temporary protection mechanism. More than a million Ukrainians who fled the war found housing, social support, medical care and educational opportunities in Germany. However, from 2024, the German government began to review the policy of reception and provision of refugees – with an emphasis on control, economy and prevention of abuse. The introduction of special payment cards instead of cash, the ban on money transfers abroad and the gradual winding down of the open migration policy significantly change the conditions of stay. These innovations have serious consequences for Ukrainians who are now in a system that is rapidly losing flexibility.

The essence of the reform: how Germany is changing the system of social benefits

In 2025, a new wave of voluntary outflow of refugees from individual federal states is observed in Germany. The reason was not foreign policy changes, but internal social reform — a point change in the mechanisms of social payments for migrants, in particular, the introduction of so-called special payment cards that limit access to cash, prohibit transfers of funds abroad, and control what public money is spent on. This is reported 420on.cz. Despite the fact that the changes were not formally aimed directly at Ukrainians, they became one of the main victims – due to the scale of presence, social vulnerability and attachment to aid.

Several German federal states introduced a new payment model for refugees in 2024-2025, a card system that allows for basic needs but does not allow full access to cash. These cards include:

• limited cash withdrawal — in many countries it is a maximum of 50 euros per month;
• prohibition of money transfers abroad;
• blocking operations in bookmakers and online services that are not related to vital goods.

As explained by the spokeswoman of the Saale-Orla county administration, migrants often do not give reasons for leaving, but services working with asylum seekers note a direct correlation between the introduction of restriction cards and the increase in the number of voluntary refusals of refugee status.

One of the first states to introduce the card was Bavaria. As reported by the country’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, from July to December 2024, the number of voluntary departures was 7,778, compared to 5,984 in the same period in 2023. This is an increase of 30%. At the same time, it is legally prohibited to change the place of registration within Germany, so migrants cannot simply move to another country – it is about returning or leaving to another country. The local authorities do not attribute this to natural migration, but rather to the new terms of payments: refugees, not having access to cash, lose the opportunity to support relatives, use cash services or even provide for their own livelihood.

Ukrainian refugees as a special category

After the start of a full-scale war in 2022, Germany provided temporary protection to hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians. As of the spring of 2025, according to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), more than 1 million citizens of Ukraine with temporary protection status are officially in the country. Most of them are women, children, pensioners. In many cases, families do not have a regular income, depend on social assistance and are not integrated in the labor market. In this context, any cash restrictions have a critical impact on being able to provide for yourself, support relatives in Ukraine, pay for unforeseen expenses (for example, dentistry, school fees, minor repairs, etc.).

In practice, the cash limit for Ukrainian women with children means a loss of flexibility: the card cannot be used in the market, in the second hand, for small purchases in local stores that do not have a terminal. The inability to transfer 20–50 euros to parents or relatives in Ukraine or to pay for a tutor is not a formality, but a psychological burden that makes adaptation difficult. Some refugees decide to leave the land where the card is implemented, but most of these decisions are not a voluntary return home, but a move to another EU country, often without proper registration.

Contrast with other regions

The experience of cities where softer versions of cards were introduced confirms: a sharp reaction to restrictions is not a pan-European phenomenon, but a consequence of specific rules. In Hanover, for example, the introduced social cards do not provide for restrictions on cash withdrawals or transfers. As a result, the number of voluntary departures decreased by 36%. In Hamburg, where the cards were introduced as early as 2024, but without strict restrictions, the rate of rejections of the status remained stable. This suggests that it is the nature of the restrictions, not the card system itself, that provokes the reaction.

In parallel with the changes in the regions, the German government is preparing a review of the general migration course. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has publicly announced his intention to repeal the 2015 order that allowed the automatic acceptance of asylum seekers. It is about establishing new rules for passing at the border, with the possibility of reversal even before registration. Despite the fact that Ukrainians do not fall under this category (they have temporary protection and do not apply for asylum), the signal is obvious: Germany is gradually winding down the policy of openness that was in effect in 2022-2023.

Prospects for Ukrainians in Germany in 2025

Formally, temporary protection for Ukrainians has been extended until March 2026, but in 2025 the conditions of stay are changing rapidly. In addition to changes in the benefits system, there is a decrease in access to new social programs, increased checks, increased employment requirements, and political pressure on local authorities to reduce migration costs. This means:

• more depending on regional rules: the rights of a Ukrainian in Bavaria and in Berlin are already two different realities;
• risks when trying to move: formally, a refugee does not have the right to change his place of residence without consent;
• gradual loss of the ability to rely on state assistance as the only source of life.

Ukrainians in Germany in 2025 faced a reality that is gradually moving away from the solidarity of the beginning of the war. The new rules are not direct expulsion, but a systematic reduction of support. This forces some people to leave certain lands, adapt to work or look for other countries. For vulnerable groups – single mothers, the elderly, those who do not know the language – this means a new stage in the struggle for survival. Germany is a game-changer — and those who lose mobility or resources find themselves in an even more vulnerable position. The next decisions of the European Commission on the future of temporary protection may finally determine whether Germany will remain a support for Ukrainians or just another transit point in the long search for security.

At the same time, the EU is discussing the gradual winding down of support programs for refugees from Ukraine after 2025. This means that Ukrainian families should prepare in advance for the new reality: either integrate into the host society with a minimum amount of assistance, or look for other ways — including return or migration to other EU countries.

Changes in the policy of social benefits in Germany are not only a financial, but also a political and social signal. They show that the “open window” for refugees is gradually closing, even if the formal protection status is still maintained. For Ukrainian citizens who hoped for stability in Europe at least until the end of the war, this is a new challenge. And it requires adaptation, re-evaluation of survival strategies and new solutions in a changing environment.