3.8 million Ukrainians, or about a tenth of the population, have already left their country after the Russian invasion. Poland by far, but also the other neighboring countries of Ukraine, host the largest number of refugees. They are nearly 300,000 to be officially registered in Germany. The actual figure is expected to be significantly higher. Their reception is organized in an emergency. A summit on their integration into the labor market is being held on March 30.
From our correspondent in Berlin,
Unlike Syrians a few years ago, Ukrainians do not have to apply for asylum. Throughout Europe, they can, once registered in their country of residence, benefit from a residence permit and start working. This is a major difference.
The other difference concerns the profile of Ukrainian refugees. Migrants who arrived a few years ago were often single, young, and poorly qualified men. Today, it is above all Ukrainian women who leave their country with children and sometimes elderly people. We know: men between 18 and 60 do not have the right to leave their country to defend it with arms if necessary. Ukrainian refugees are better educated and qualified than those who arrived a few years ago. Of the 330,000 nationals who were already living in Germany with the Russian invasion, around half have a university degree.
Finding work, a priority
However, integration into the German labor market is not easy for these refugees. Once they have been taken care of by friends, relatives, Germans or in hostels, the priority is first to register with the authorities in order to benefit from a residence and work permit. In Berlin, where the authority responsible for migrants does not offer online appointments for weeks, it is not easy. Then, since many women came alone with children of school age, their care arises. It conditions any job search. The schools set up so-called welcome classes to learn German as quickly as possible and allow the integration of these pupils. Another difficulty, the language and German courses will be necessary. The country can benefit from the experience accumulated in this area a few years ago. Another difficulty, and Germany is often finicky and bureaucratic, is the recognition of diplomas to apply for the labor market.
Initiatives to facilitate job searches
Various online platforms have been set up as a matter of urgency, such as Job Aid Ukraine Where AU Talent. Thousands of companies have already come forward. Some major companies financially support these platforms. “UA Talents” was launched in Berlin by two Ukrainian entrepreneurs and primarily offers jobs in the technology sector where Ukrainians have know-how and where fluency in German is secondary. Remote work opportunities are also offered to people still living in Ukraine, but who have fled their region of origin.
Criticisms and Obstacles
It must be remembered that Germany needs labor : 1.7 million jobs are vacant. These are qualified positions for which a command of German, unlike in the world of startups, is undoubtedly necessary. But in sectors such as logistics, basic language skills are enough.
Specialists regret that the current legal framework only provides for a one-year residence permit, which they consider too short if one considers, for example, that a German course lasts several months. Another criticism already expressed in 2015 and the years that followed, the obligation of residence in a given place which makes sense for a better distribution of refugees but complicates integration, jobs not necessarily not being where one reside.