New rules for Ukrainians in Germany: the Ministry of Internal Affairs advises to change the status independently
Certainty regarding the future legal status of Ukrainians in Germany after the end of temporary protection is gradually becoming one of the key topics for millions of people who have linked their lives with this country after the start of a full-scale war. The published position of the German Federal Ministry of the Interior outlines the direction of the discussion: the introduction of a new special status for Ukrainian citizens is not planned, but those who wish to stay are recommended to take care of changing the grounds for stay in advance. These are not political declarations, but practical steps that can determine the future fate of hundreds of thousands of people.
Position of the Ministry of Internal Affairs: no new status with a call to act in advance
As reported by DW, during the Café Kyiv conference in Berlin, the head of the Ukraine group at the Federal Ministry of the Interior of Germany, Hans-Ulrich Boenr, said that a separate new status for Ukrainians in the country is not being prepared. According to him, after March 2027, when the current temporary protection mechanism ends, a transitional period will most likely be provided, but its duration and conditions have not yet been determined.
In his explanations, the ministry representative drew attention to the fact that several types of residence permits already exist in Germany that can become an alternative to temporary protection. This is precisely what Berlin is orienting Ukrainians towards, as follows from the reports: instead of waiting for new special decisions, it is worth using the existing legal mechanisms.
Therefore, the recommendation to change the status now has a completely practical basis. If a significant number of people apply at the last moment, the load on the foreign affairs departments may increase significantly, which will affect the timing of document processing. Given the scale of the Ukrainian presence in the country, the risk of administrative delays seems realistic, and therefore the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ warning is actually a warning about possible difficulties of a purely organizational nature.
According to DW, the right to reside on other grounds can be obtained, in particular, by qualified specialists who have a job and speak German. These are standard criteria for German legislation that apply to labor migration and provide for confirmation of professional qualifications and integration into the labor market.
Who has more chances, and who will have more difficulties
The situation varies depending on how integrated a person is into the economic life of the country. Those who are employed, have a stable income and language skills have an easier time meeting the requirements for a different type of residence permit.
At the same time, for those who work in low-paid sectors or are unemployed, the prospect of staying after the war may be more difficult, as the grounds for long-term stay are limited in such cases.
This does not mean an automatic loss of the right to reside, but it does indicate that future status will increasingly depend on individual circumstances – employment level, qualifications, language skills and ability to meet the requirements of migration legislation.
There are more than four million Ukrainian refugees in the European Union, and about a quarter of them live in Germany. Return to the homeland will not be required as long as hostilities continue, which remains the basic principle of temporary protection.
At the same time, some states are already outlining longer residence horizons for Ukrainian citizens. In particular, the Czech Republic and Austria have begun issuing residence permits for a period of five years. This approach demonstrates that different models of status regulation after the end of the military phase are possible within the EU, and each country forms its own policy taking into account internal circumstances.
Changes in reception infrastructure: the example of Berlin
The transformation of approaches to the residence of Ukrainians is also evidenced by decisions at the local level. According to a report by DW on November 3, the former Tegel Airport in Berlin, which has become the largest reception center for Ukrainian refugees in Germany, is planned to be closed down within a few months. The residents of the center will be evicted, and a new urban district will be built on the site.
The story of Tegel demonstrates how temporary solutions adopted in an emergency situation are gradually giving way to long-term urban development planning. At the same time, for the refugees themselves, this means another stage of adaptation and the need to look for new housing and integration options.
Between expectations and responsibility for one’s own future
The published position of the German Ministry of Internal Affairs does not contain final answers regarding the period after March 2027, but outlines an approach in which the key role is assigned to the personal steps of the Ukrainians themselves. In conditions where a special new status is not being prepared and the transitional mechanism has not yet been detailed, the decisive factor is the ability to adapt to the current legal framework of the country.
Thus, the discussion about the future of Ukrainians in Germany is gradually moving from the plane of temporary protection to the plane of individual strategies – educational, professional and language, on which the possibility of remaining in the country after the end of the war will depend.
