The Employment Status of Ukrainian Refugees in Europe
By mid-2025, 57% of Ukrainian refugees in Europe have found employment. However, a significant majority are working in roles that do not match their professional qualifications. This widespread underemployment has resulted in Ukrainian refugees earning, on average, 40% less than the local population. A notable employment gap also exists between Eastern and Western European nations.
Data reveals that nearly 60% of working refugees acknowledge their skills far exceed the requirements of their current jobs. Among refugees with higher education, over a third are employed in low-skilled professions. In stark contrast, only 7% of citizens in host countries hold similar low-skilled positions.
Key Factors Influencing Employment Prospects
Several factors significantly impact the likelihood of finding work. A basic knowledge of the host country's language increases the chance of employment by 13 percentage points. Living with children under the age of 6 reduces the probability of being employed by 11 percentage points, while having a family member aged 65 or older increases it by 6 percentage points.
At the start of 2026, the total number of Ukrainian refugees in Europe is projected to exceed 5.3 million people. According to UN estimates, overcoming employment barriers for this population could boost the GDP of European countries by up to 0.7 percentage points annually. This highlights the significant economic potential that remains untapped.
The countries with the highest employment rates for Ukrainian refugees are:
- Estonia (72%)
- Hungary (71%)
- United Kingdom (69%)
- Poland (68%)
Conversely, Norway (37%) and Switzerland (29%) report the lowest employment rates.
This situation underscores the critical need for Ukrainian refugees to adapt to new labor markets, as well as the importance of support from governments and international organizations to improve their working conditions.
Given that a large portion of Ukrainians are in jobs below their skill level, it is vital to create retraining and integration programs. Such initiatives would help maximize the potential of refugees for the benefit of host country economies and support long-term social stability.