Well over half of Ukrainian refugees in Germany want to stay here in the long term. This is the result of a large-scale survey for which more than 3,400 Ukrainians were interviewed. Of those who came to Germany immediately after the outbreak of war, 59% want to live here permanently. Among those who only left the country after June 2022, the figure is as high as 69%. The survey was carried out between July 2023 and January 2024 – long before the current ceasefire began. Whether they return one day depends on the economic situation in Ukraine, according to six out of ten respondents.
Fewer single mothers
Most refugees were living in private apartments or houses in Germany in 2023. Refugees who have no contact with Germans, have only recently arrived or are single have particularly great problems finding accommodation. Since men have now also fled from Ukraine, there are no longer as many single mothers. The proportion of younger women living in Germany with children without a partner has more than halved from 46% to 20%.
Two thirds of adult refugees from Ukraine now live in stable partnerships. However, the psychological strain on refugees is still high. 19 percent reported depressive symptoms, 14 percent suffer from anxiety disorders.
Proportion of employed people increases with length of stay
Integration into the labor market is still progressing slowly. In 2023, an average of 22% of refugees were in employment. However, the longer Ukrainians live in Germany, the more of them are employed: After two years, the rate is 31 percent. The study also found that 94% of those who are still unemployed want to work. 75 percent have a vocational or university degree, and almost 90 percent have work experience. Around half are working below the level of their last job in Ukraine. Almost three quarters stated that they need more information in order to have their Ukrainian qualifications recognized.
Going to school in two countries
Most children now attend normal school classes. Only 16 percent still attend special preparatory classes. Half of the children attend courses in Ukraine as well as German schools. However, the proportion of children attending secondary schools is lower than that of German children nationwide.
The Federal Employment Agency, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees and the German Institute for Economic Research took part in the survey.
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