An increasing number of Ukrainian refugees who fled the war are choosing to stay in Germany permanently. The head of the German Refugee Agency, Markus Seibert, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur that about 65% of them now plan to remain in the country. By comparison, a year and a half ago, the majority expressed intentions to return to Ukraine.
This shift in sentiment highlights changing priorities: Ukrainians are actively learning German, seeking employment, and striving for integration. These findings are based on regular surveys of residents in Berlin’s refugee shelters, where 9,000 Ukrainians currently live. In total, between 50,000 and 60,000 Ukrainians reside in the German capital.
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Ukrainians benefit from a special residency status in Germany that allows them to work and access social benefits, including healthcare.
“Ukrainians have a unique residency status, distinct from asylum seekers, which permits employment and provides access to various social benefits, including healthcare and other forms of support,” a report stated.
The publication Bild notes that Germany remains the European leader in hosting Ukrainian refugees, with over 1.1 million currently residing there.
According to Eurostat, a total of 4.19 million Ukrainians have been registered under temporary protection status across the EU. The largest increase has been observed in Germany, which welcomed 7,005 Ukrainians in September alone.
ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, December, 20, 2024
In comparison, 4,645 Ukrainians moved to Poland in September, while 3,170 went to Spain.
Earlier Kyiv Post reported an estimated 130,000 Ukrainians have returned to their homes in the Russian-occupied Donbas territories in the last year due to the difficulties they faced living as internally displaced people since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.
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