On 21 May 2024, the European Migration Network (EMN) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) organised a webinar to launch the recent joint Inform on the "Labour market integration of beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine". 

The key findings from the Inform were presented, which made it possible to identify the following positive aspects and remaining challenges:

• Among positive aspects, analyses by the OECD and IOM suggest that beneficiaries of temporary protection (BoTP) integrated into the labour market more quickly than other refugee groups. A large proportion of BoTP have a high level of educational attainment. Overall, the total number of BoTP in employment increased in almost all reporting host countries between September 2022 and 2023. The majority of host countries report measures and practices to facilitate the employment of BoTP and to assist them to transition from unemployment to economic self-sufficiency.
   
• Among other concerns, it was noted that the rates of employment vary considerably by country, depending on differences in general labour market conditions, the specific demographic make-up of arrival from Ukraine, and the level of support provided by the respective countries. The sectors, in which BoTP are employed, do not necessarily align with the prior expertise or education profiles of BoTP, indicating potential skills mismatches. Challenges related to the recognition of qualifications, potential mismatches in qualifications, language barriers, and uncertainty about the duration of their stay could have led BoTP and host countries’ authorities to prioritise early employment in low-skilled jobs over highly qualified employment.

The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) confirmed the majority of the concerns presented above with qualitative and quantitative information collected directly from displaced persons from Ukraine through the SAM Ukraine survey. Based on 500 testimonials on employment and labour market integration, displaced persons from Ukraine report multiple vulnerabilities, including care obligations, language barrier, administrative burden, uncertainty about the duration of stay, difficult recognition of qualifications etc. They also have to opt for housing in areas where there is little employment, struggle to find accessible language courses and find themselves in low-skilled and low-paid jobs, or even face exploitation and health issues.

Several host countries outlined the policies and measures implemented to enhance socio-economic outcomes. In Germany for example, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Federal Employment Agency launched the "Job Turbo" program in October 2023 to aid the employment of BoTP (as well as other refugees). The program enables people to learn German alongside work. The Czech Republic inter alia emphasised the need for continuous awareness-raising campaigns on legal employment and workers’ rights, enhancing confidence in State institutions.

For further details, please read the full Inform on the "Labour market integration of beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine".