More than half of the refugees from Ukraine who came to Germany shortly after the outbreak of war are now working. Many have found a job, especially in the third year after their arrival. This was the finding of a long-term study by the Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB). According to the study, the employment rate among Ukrainians aged 20 to 64 who arrived between February and May 2022 was 51 percent in early summer 2025. At the end of summer 2022, it had been only 16 percent. After completing integration and language courses, many found jobs more quickly.
More men than women in jobs
The BiB study shows that men were more likely to find a job than women: 57 percent of men and 50 percent of women who came to Germany in the first months of the war are employed. According to the BiB, the figure has more than tripled compared to 2022. According to the study, refugees who came to Germany in the first months of the war were better qualified than later immigrants.
German is important
The BiB cites good German language skills and social contacts with Germans as key factors. Another positive factor is that refugees from Ukraine are generally allowed to work immediately after arriving in Germany—unlike many asylum seekers from other countries.
Fleeing as a relationship killer
Family reunification stabilizes the living situation. If both parents live in Germany, families are much more likely to stay in Germany. At the same time, the BiB shows that the stresses of war, flight, and separation have led to the end of the relationship for 29 percent of women who initially sought protection without a partner.
1.2 million refugees
There are currently over 1.2 million people seeking protection from Ukraine living in Germany. The total number of arrivals since February 2022 was higher, but some have returned or moved on to other countries. Those who stayed usually found paid jobs more quickly than refugees from other countries.
See: https://www.bib.bund.de/DE/Presse/Mitteilungen/2025/2025-11-04-Drei-Jahre-nach-Ankunft-Etwas-mehr-als-die-Haelfte-der-Ukrainer-ist-erwerbstaetig.html
tun25111003