Ukrainians in the labor market

Ukraine Work

Project

Ukrainian refugees in the Dutch labor market

Client

Institute GAK

Duration

2023

Partners

Regioplan

Product

Research Report

Project description

The employment rate of people who have fled from Ukraine is high compared to other groups with refugee backgrounds (50%). Why is this? And: what can we learn from the successful labor market integration of this group? Together with Regioplan, we conducted research.

Being able to participate immediately

People who have fled Ukraine - unlike people in the asylum procedure - have immediate access to the labor market. They do not have to apply for a work permit or wait a long time for a BSN. The experiences of people from Ukraine show that the ability to work immediately leads directly to relatively high labor force participation.

"Newcomers who can start working immediately are often still in 'action mode' and are closer to their competencies and experiences in the field."

Results & insights

At the same time, we see that immediate participation is not enough for sustainable labor force participation. One of the important insights is that it is important to build in room for differentiation by work. For example, in the form of network interviews, "taster internships," direct contact with employers, a further education or a work-study program.

Lessons learned

In researching Ukrainian refugees in the labor market, we learned a lot about what works and what doesn't. And how these lessons can be used to improve access to work for all newcomers in the Netherlands. The report discusses the most important lessons and offers concrete tools for professionals and employers.