Three years after the start of the Russian war against Ukraine, nearly 300,000 Ukrainians are working in Germany. Over 245,000 of them pay social and health insurance, according to the Labor Agency. They are from the latest surveys from November 2024. They show that Ukrainian citizens are employed mainly in industry, trade, health and social work, construction, hospitality and in the field of economic services.
According to the Labor Agency, the integration of Ukrainians into the German labor market is progressing rapidly. Their employment rate has almost doubled in the last year, despite some serious economic difficulties in Germany.
After the start of Russia's war against Ukraine, many Ukrainians headed to Germany. As of October 31, 2024, the number of Ukrainians in the Federal Republic was 1,256,000 people. Of these, according to the Labor Agency, 211,000 are unemployed. 98,000 people are enrolled in integration courses, and 29,000 people attend language courses specialized for their profession. In total, about 706,000 Ukrainians receive social benefits, and 200,000 of them are children.
Labor market expert Enzo Weber sees significant progress in the integration of Ukrainian citizens into the local labor market. He says that every month there are 7,000 new additions to the labor market. Meanwhile, the employment quota of Ukrainians in the country is over 30% - according to this indicator, Germany occupies one of the middle places in the ranking of EU countries. Less than a year ago, only 16% of Ukrainians worked in Germany.
Initiative for accelerated integration into the labor market
In the fall of 2023, the German government launched an initiative for accelerated integration of Ukrainian refugees into the labor market - the so-called Job-Turbo. It was aimed especially at those of them who have the prospect of staying in Germany long-term. Whether this government initiative has led to an increase in employment among Ukrainians is not entirely clear, however, says expert Weber. He points out that the successful integration of refugees usually takes a long time.
Since 2022, Ukrainian citizens have enjoyed a privilege within the EU - it entitles war refugees to automatically receive the right to stay. The German government has extended this regulation until March 2026.
The German language problem
One of the biggest obstacles for Ukrainians looking for work in Germany is their lack of German language skills, says Sarah Strobel, head of the "Network for the Integration of Refugees in Business." This project of the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the Ministry of Economics was launched in 2016. Another factor that makes it difficult for Ukrainians to enter the labor market is the lack of sufficient places for raising children in nurseries and kindergartens, which plays a decisive role, since the overwhelming majority of Ukrainian refugees in Germany are women, explains Strobel.
Clumsy system for recognizing diplomas
In addition to the language barrier and the lack of opportunities for children, an obstacle for refugees is the long and complicated procedure for recognizing and equalizing diplomas and qualifications. For this reason, many Ukrainians are forced, at least initially, to work in places that do not correspond to their professional training and qualifications.
Another obstacle is the lack of knowledge of the German education system: Many refugees are not aware of the professional opportunities and career chances that craft professions can offer them. Therefore, the number of Ukrainians employed there remains below expectations.