Ukrainian refugees in Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania [Report]

We present to you another report on the situation of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. Being aware of the European dimension of Ukrainian refugees and the international reach of EWL’s work, we expanded our study to include two more countries, the Czech Republic and Romania, which have opened their borders to refugees from Ukraine, just as Poland has. This allowed us to obtain even more qualitative data in the context of current migration processes.

The special report from the sociological study ‘Ukrainian refugees in Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania’ conducted by the EWL Migration Platform, Foundation for the Support of Migrants on the Labour Market ‘EWL’ and the Centre for East European Studies at the University of Warsaw in cooperation with Masaryk Univesity in Brno and University of Bucharest.

Understanding the war refugee migration

The obtained data are of significant cognitive importance, as they allow for the assessment of the nature of migration and the development of appropriate strategies of action towards this phenomenon at various levels of public, social and business institutions. Moreover, these results may be of key importance in the context of reflections on methods of solving migration crises. A deepened understanding of all aspects of this crisis may enable the proposal of appropriate procedures and solutions beneficial for the emigrants as well as the receiving countries.

It ought to be noted that the obtained results are a valuable point of reference for previous research carried out in connection with Ukrainian migration. A detailed analysis makes it possible to see the differences and similarities between these phenomena.

Intentions, feelings, fears and concerns

Surveys provide a window into important social demographics, and so much more. Some of the information mirrors what we have heard in the news media: the refugees are overwhelmingly (more than 90 per cent) female, and half or more are at least 36 years old. Most (60 per cent or more) have arrived with children under the age of 18; yet, they also have members of the immediate family back home.

The statistics on education and occupation are certainly compelling. The refugees surveyed are extremely well-educated, with 53, 45, and 64 per cent, respectively, having completed a university degree. About one third in each country are highly skilled professionals, or teachers and educational professionals.

Moving beyond demographics, the report offers much information about intentions, feelings, fears and concerns, as well as future plans. In some respects, there is agreement, and in others, great divergence.

Study on Ukrainian refugees in Poland, Czech Republic and Romania

International impact

Our study’s figures describe this phenomenon of refuge from war in a manner that cannot be disputed by anyone. A few elements in this picture: an overwhelming percentage of refugees from Ukraine are women; about twothirds
of them left Ukraine because they have minor children. Most of them do not know the language of the country they arrived in, they do not have origins or family there (in Poland, the Czech Republic or Romania), and they have never
worked in the current host country.

Whether we are talking about refugees who came to Poland, the Czech Republic or Romania, most of them are clearly expressing their intention to return to Ukraine at some point – of course, the was has already prolonged more than they expected.

Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania have opened their arms wide to Ukrainian refugees. This unprecedented phenomenon will certainly result in closer cooperation on many levels, which should also have a positive impact on the European labour market.