Fresh Eurostat data released on 10 December show that 4.3 million non-EU citizens who fled Russia’s invasion of Ukraine remain under temporary-protection status across the bloc as of 31 October 2025. Germany hosts by far the largest share—1 229 960 people, or 28.6 % of the total—followed by Poland and Czechia.
While the headline figure for the EU fell marginally month-on-month, Germany’s numbers have stabilised at around 1.2 million since summer after peaking at 1.36 million in March. Federal states have used the pause to shift from emergency accommodation to longer-term housing and to expand integration-course capacity. Two-thirds of working-age Ukrainians registered with job centres are women; many are moving from part-time survival jobs into skilled employment thanks to fast-track credential-recognition introduced in the Skilled Immigration Act.
For employers, the status brings advantages: Ukrainian beneficiaries may take up employment immediately without labour-market checks, and they can travel within the Schengen area. Automotive suppliers in Baden-Württemberg and IT firms in Berlin report growing interest in up-skilling programmes that convert temporary-protection holders into permanent hires.
![Germany still sheltering 1.23 million Ukrainians under EU temporary-protection scheme]()
To navigate these opportunities without stumbling over paperwork, many organisations are turning to VisaHQ. The firm’s Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) streamlines Schengen travel permits, residence-card renewals and passport checks in one dashboard, providing HR teams and Ukrainian professionals with reliable turnaround times and compliance alerts.
However, HR departments are being urged to monitor expiry dates. Although the EU Council extended the scheme until March 2027, residence cards issued before February 2026 must be re-printed to reflect the automatic extension, and some local foreigners’ offices have backlogs of six months. Companies planning EU business travel for Ukrainian staff should ensure passports are valid for at least six months beyond the trip, as carriers have denied boarding on documentation grounds.
Municipalities warn that housing subsidies will tighten in 2026 as federal funding tapers, potentially prompting secondary movement within Germany. Relocation managers are advising employers to budget for higher corporate housing costs or to explore regional talent pools outside saturated urban centres.
While the headline figure for the EU fell marginally month-on-month, Germany’s numbers have stabilised at around 1.2 million since summer after peaking at 1.36 million in March. Federal states have used the pause to shift from emergency accommodation to longer-term housing and to expand integration-course capacity. Two-thirds of working-age Ukrainians registered with job centres are women; many are moving from part-time survival jobs into skilled employment thanks to fast-track credential-recognition introduced in the Skilled Immigration Act.
For employers, the status brings advantages: Ukrainian beneficiaries may take up employment immediately without labour-market checks, and they can travel within the Schengen area. Automotive suppliers in Baden-Württemberg and IT firms in Berlin report growing interest in up-skilling programmes that convert temporary-protection holders into permanent hires.
To navigate these opportunities without stumbling over paperwork, many organisations are turning to VisaHQ. The firm’s Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) streamlines Schengen travel permits, residence-card renewals and passport checks in one dashboard, providing HR teams and Ukrainian professionals with reliable turnaround times and compliance alerts.
However, HR departments are being urged to monitor expiry dates. Although the EU Council extended the scheme until March 2027, residence cards issued before February 2026 must be re-printed to reflect the automatic extension, and some local foreigners’ offices have backlogs of six months. Companies planning EU business travel for Ukrainian staff should ensure passports are valid for at least six months beyond the trip, as carriers have denied boarding on documentation grounds.
Municipalities warn that housing subsidies will tighten in 2026 as federal funding tapers, potentially prompting secondary movement within Germany. Relocation managers are advising employers to budget for higher corporate housing costs or to explore regional talent pools outside saturated urban centres.
