Germany has given more than one million displaced Ukrainians breathing room—and employers badly-needed planning security—by extending all residence permits issued under §24 of the Residence Act until 4 March 2027.
The change was enacted through the “Second Regulation Amending the Ukraine-Aufenthaltserlaubnis-Fortgeltungsverordnung,” published in the Federal Gazette on 27 October and confirmed by the Interior Ministry on 7 November 2025. Any permit that is still valid on 1 February 2026 now continues automatically; no application, biometric appointment or new card is required. Work authorisation and social-security access remain in force.
![Germany Automatically Extends Temporary Protection Residence Permits for Ukrainians Until March 2027]()
For companies this removes the prospect of hundreds of thousands of renewals in 2026—critical because Ukrainians already make up the largest single group of non-EU employees in Germany’s labour market. IT consultancies in Berlin and manufacturing plants in Bavaria told the German Employers’ Federation that the three-year horizon will allow them to draft multi-year project contracts and training plans.
The Interior Ministry has instructed foreigner authorities to annotate the national visa database and notified Schengen partners so that extended cards are recognised at external borders. Lawyers note, however, that onward movement inside the EU remains restricted: holders who obtained protection in another member state cannot claim the German extension.
Human-rights groups welcomed the move but urged the federal government to start negotiations on a longer-term EU solution before 2027, warning of another renewal scramble if the war drags on.
The change was enacted through the “Second Regulation Amending the Ukraine-Aufenthaltserlaubnis-Fortgeltungsverordnung,” published in the Federal Gazette on 27 October and confirmed by the Interior Ministry on 7 November 2025. Any permit that is still valid on 1 February 2026 now continues automatically; no application, biometric appointment or new card is required. Work authorisation and social-security access remain in force.
For companies this removes the prospect of hundreds of thousands of renewals in 2026—critical because Ukrainians already make up the largest single group of non-EU employees in Germany’s labour market. IT consultancies in Berlin and manufacturing plants in Bavaria told the German Employers’ Federation that the three-year horizon will allow them to draft multi-year project contracts and training plans.
The Interior Ministry has instructed foreigner authorities to annotate the national visa database and notified Schengen partners so that extended cards are recognised at external borders. Lawyers note, however, that onward movement inside the EU remains restricted: holders who obtained protection in another member state cannot claim the German extension.
Human-rights groups welcomed the move but urged the federal government to start negotiations on a longer-term EU solution before 2027, warning of another renewal scramble if the war drags on.
