Ukrainians are leaving Finland en masse: why shelter has not become a place for a long stay in the country

After the start of the full-scale war, Finland became a safe place for many Ukrainians, where they could wait out the most difficult period and try to restore their daily lives. However, it sometimes turned out that a peaceful life here does not always translate into a stable future. This discrepancy between initial expectations and everyday reality is increasingly pushing people to move again within the European Union.

Reasons for the mass outflow of Ukrainians from Finland

As noted in the publication YLE, the impetus for the mass departure of Ukrainians from Finland was difficulties with employment, difficult entry into the local environment due to the language barrier, and the lack of a clear perspective after the end of temporary protection.

Temporary protection in Finland is valid until March 2027, but there are no guarantees for the further period yet. For those who want to stay longer, the issue of legal status gradually comes to the fore, as extending their stay is linked to the need to find an official job or enroll in an educational institution. For many, this task turns out to be too difficult, as the system imposes requirements that a person, after a forced move, often cannot quickly meet.

The main reason for the departure of Ukrainians is the difficulty of finding a job, because without stable work, any plans for the future hang in the air. The labor market in Finland remains difficult, the unemployment rate here is one of the highest in the European Union, so competition for vacancies is noticeable even for locals, and for newcomers it becomes even tougher. In such a situation, Ukrainians who came with experience, education and a willingness to work often send resumes for months, receive sporadic responses and increasingly feel that without logging into the system their efforts are almost fruitless.

Language plays a separate role, because of which even basic access to work is often closed. A significant part of employers expect knowledge of Finnish, while English, which many newcomers rely on, does not always open the way to a vacancy. Because of this, people cannot apply not only for work in their specialty, but also for simpler positions, in particular in the service sector or in seasonal work, where the language requirement also remains a serious obstacle.

This hits those who expected to return to their professional life without a long break. A person with a higher education, experience and knowledge of several languages ​​​​often loses competitiveness in such a system, because the employer primarily assesses the ability to work in Finnish. As a result, previous experience, which could be an advantage in another country, does not have the expected effect here, and the job search is delayed so much that people begin to consider moving as the only practical way out.

Another factor that increases uncertainty concerns education. Starting next year, education in Finland for students from non-EU countries may become fee-based, and although Ukrainians currently enjoy certain benefits, no one guarantees that these conditions will be maintained in the future. For young people who perceived entry as a way to gain a foothold in the country, learn the language, and gradually integrate into the local environment, such a prospect means the loss of one of the few real paths to a long-term stay.

This is especially noticeable for those who, after evacuation, tried to make new plans for several years ahead. In the absence of confidence in the cost of education, rules of residence, and chances for further legalization, an educational trajectory ceases to look like a solid foundation for life. In such circumstances, young Ukrainians are increasingly choosing countries where the connection between education, work, and the right to stay longer seems clearer.

Where do Ukrainians move from Finland?

Ukrainians are moving to other EU countries, where integration rules seem more predictable. One of the most attractive destinations has become Estonia, since the time spent under temporary protection there is counted towards the experience required to obtain permanent residence. For people who evaluate the country from the perspective of the next few years, this is of fundamental importance, because it gives a sense of moving forward, rather than living in a temporary mode without a clear point of support.

Some Ukrainians also move to Hungary, where, according to the data provided, employment is more accessible. About 71% of Ukrainians have a job there, while in Finland this figure is approximately 40%. This difference explains a lot without additional emotional assessments, because for a person who has lost his home and is forced to start life anew, the opportunity to earn money and plan for the future weighs more than the country’s reputation as comfortable or prestigious.

Thus, the departure of Ukrainians from Finland indicates a gap between the conditions of temporary shelter and the possibility of staying in the country for a longer period. If a person does not see a real way to get a stable job, get a clear legal status and connect with this state for several more years, the decision to move again becomes a step dictated by calculation, experience of everyday life and assessment of one’s own chances.

In Finland, the problem for Ukrainians lies in the combination of several restrictions that over time push people to look for another country to live in. Because of this, repeated migration for some Ukrainians looks like an attempt to find an environment where adaptation efforts have a clear perspective and give a result that can be turned into a long-term support for life.