Ukrainians who fled to Germany from the war are integrating into the labor market faster than other refugee groups

The employment rate of refugees from Ukraine in Germany is growing, says a new report published by the Federal Institute for Demographic Research in Wiesbaden on October 24. What about in Greece?

According to the BIB Institute, The greatest difficulties for Ukrainians who fled the war in the labor market are related to the need to improve their knowledge of German, child care and confirmation of qualifications.

The employment rate among the 1.1 million Ukrainian citizens in Germany has almost doubled – from 16% in the summer of 2022 to 30% last spring. Data based on a new poll. As part of the study, starting in 2022, the same Ukrainian refugees were regularly surveyed about their situation in Germany.

However, despite the growth in employment, serious challenges still exist, BIB notes. Approximately 30% of respondents said they were actively looking for work. But caring for young children and the need to obtain qualifications make it difficult, especially for women, to find employment. The employment rate for mothers with small children is 22%, and for mothers with school-age children – 32%. BIB director and study co-author Katharina Spies says:

“For men, on the contrary, there is no significant correlation between employment and marital status. The employment rate of fathers of minor children at the time of the survey was about 41%.”

The majority of Ukrainian refugees who are not actively looking for work say that the reason for this is attending language courses or insufficient knowledge of the German language (92%). Other reasons for reluctance to look for work include childcare or caring for relatives (37%).

The survey results indicate a great need for improving language skillssays Spies. She is confident that by attending the courses, job seekers will be able to enter the labor market in the future.

Among the refugees there are many nurses and health workers, as well as representatives of applied professions, in particular workers. There is a shortage of qualified labor in these areas in Germany. But the potential of applicants is not used sufficientlyso only a small part of this group works in these specialties:

“High language requirements or complex procedures for confirming foreign professional qualifications make it difficult to get a job,” stated Andreas Ette from BIB.

What about employment of Ukrainian refugees in Greece? They receive temporary protection, which gives them the right to freely stay in the country, study and work. Translator of a non-profit organization Miroslava Klyus explains:

“A temporary protection card is issued, which contains a personal tax number and a personal insurance number. Accordingly, people immediately get into these two registers and can gain access to the labor market.”

Jobs in Greece are usually sought after on various job sites or in groups on social networks. However, experts advise checking all advertisements. They often help with job placement volunteer organizations or various associations. They conduct trainings where they explain all the nuances of the local labor market and help with resumes. Operates in Greece and labor exchange. The specialists there will advise you on how best to write a resume and select a vacancy. Since Greece is a tourist country, it is easier to find a job in the tourism sector:

“There are a lot of job offers in the hotels themselves. This is either reception, where better knowledge of Greek is required, or work as a maid, or as a gardener or as a waiter. There are enough offers.”

Quite often, local companies do not require employees to know Greek. On the contrary, preference is given to employees who speak English. Many Ukrainians have jobs in hotels. An additional bonus is the opportunity to live and eat on the premises of the hotel where you work.

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