An unusual public split has emerged within Saxony-Anhalt’s state government over the future of male Ukrainian refugees living in Germany. CDU premier Sven Schulze told *Welt* on 14 February that Kyiv should recall “able-bodied young men” so that they can help rebuild hospitals and energy grids damaged by the war rather than “seek a safer life” in Germany.
Labour Minister Petra Grimm-Benne (SPD) immediately pushed back, arguing that Berlin’s policy of allowing Ukrainian youths to study and train abroad was designed to create a skilled cohort for Ukraine’s eventual reconstruction. The minister highlighted that more than 3,000 Ukrainian men are already filling labour shortages in Saxony-Anhalt’s manufacturing and construction sectors, calling their contribution “indispensable.”
The clash illustrates the policy tight-rope Germany is walking as it balances wartime solidarity with domestic labour needs. Under EU Temporary Protection rules, some 1.2 million Ukrainians may legally reside and work in Germany until at least March 2027. Any move to encourage returns could affect corporate hiring pipelines that rely on Ukrainian electricians, welders and IT specialists.
![Row in Saxony-Anhalt Over Whether Young Ukrainian Refugees Should Return Home]()
Organisations and individuals navigating the administrative side of these shifting policies can ease the burden by using VisaHQ’s services. Their Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) offers up-to-date guidance on residence permits, application tracking and appointment scheduling, helping HR teams, students and refugees streamline visa or extension processes with minimal hassle.
For mobility teams the key takeaway is uncertainty. While federal law still guarantees broad work authorisation, rhetoric from regional leaders could influence future funding for language courses, housing subsidies or credential-recognition programmes. Companies employing Ukrainian nationals in Germany should monitor state budgets and consider offering their own up-skilling support to mitigate potential policy swings.
Ukraine, for its part, recently relaxed exit restrictions for 18- to 22-year-olds to study abroad, a change Schulze wants reversed. Whether Kyiv will revisit that exemption may depend on how much economic value it places on the diaspora’s remittances—currently estimated at €10 billion annually.
Labour Minister Petra Grimm-Benne (SPD) immediately pushed back, arguing that Berlin’s policy of allowing Ukrainian youths to study and train abroad was designed to create a skilled cohort for Ukraine’s eventual reconstruction. The minister highlighted that more than 3,000 Ukrainian men are already filling labour shortages in Saxony-Anhalt’s manufacturing and construction sectors, calling their contribution “indispensable.”
The clash illustrates the policy tight-rope Germany is walking as it balances wartime solidarity with domestic labour needs. Under EU Temporary Protection rules, some 1.2 million Ukrainians may legally reside and work in Germany until at least March 2027. Any move to encourage returns could affect corporate hiring pipelines that rely on Ukrainian electricians, welders and IT specialists.
Organisations and individuals navigating the administrative side of these shifting policies can ease the burden by using VisaHQ’s services. Their Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) offers up-to-date guidance on residence permits, application tracking and appointment scheduling, helping HR teams, students and refugees streamline visa or extension processes with minimal hassle.
For mobility teams the key takeaway is uncertainty. While federal law still guarantees broad work authorisation, rhetoric from regional leaders could influence future funding for language courses, housing subsidies or credential-recognition programmes. Companies employing Ukrainian nationals in Germany should monitor state budgets and consider offering their own up-skilling support to mitigate potential policy swings.
Ukraine, for its part, recently relaxed exit restrictions for 18- to 22-year-olds to study abroad, a change Schulze wants reversed. Whether Kyiv will revisit that exemption may depend on how much economic value it places on the diaspora’s remittances—currently estimated at €10 billion annually.
