How the foreign labor market has adapted to Ukrainians

A full-scale war has put at least 5 million people out of work, forced about 7 million people to seek temporary shelter and new work abroad.

Some of them do not plan to return before the end of the war because of the potential danger to them and their children, despite the fact that they want to go home. So they are looking for work there.

According to statistics, more than 50% of refugees in every country plan to return immediately after the end of the war.

It should be emphasized that the desire to return may not correspond to employment opportunities, children's education and conditions, says Masaryk University professor Bernadette Nadejda Jaworski.

Consequently, 24-30% already understand that they want to stay in the country where they are. Others are considering moving to another country, mainly Germany, the US, the UK and Italy.

Whatever desires, now all Ukrainians are forced to adapt to new realities and look for work in another country in order to provide themselves and their children with everything they need.

So what is the situation on the foreign labor market for Ukrainians and what labor traps can you face?

All this was recorded by a sociological study of refugees from Ukraine in Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania, conducted by the EWL Migration Platform, the Fund for Supporting Migrants in the Labor Market and the Center for East European Studies of Warsaw University.

Now not only strawberries: Ukrainian specialists are looking for work

Abroad, they are used to the fact that cheap labor comes to work for them. However, with a full-scale invasion, the average portrait of a worker from Ukraine has changed.

“Now the vast majority of Ukrainians abroad are women with children who do not know the language of the country they are in and have never worked there,” said Darie Christea, a professor at the University of Bucharest.

Despite this, the refugees have a very high level of education. Statistics prove this: 53%, 45% and 64% of the surveyed refugees in Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania have higher education.

About a third of the refugees in each country are highly qualified professionals, teachers and educators, says Bernadette.

- And also doctors, teachers, engineers, people who know several languages. This portrait is dictated by the market and military situation,” says Maryana Semenyuk, director of EWL Partners.

In particular, among the numerous refugees were many scientists and researchers from different universities and scientific fields.

Some of them have already found a temporary place in Poland and everything they need for scientific work. In addition, they were provided with everything necessary for life.

Difficulties and incentives for employment

However, not everyone was able to get settled as well as scientists. Many high-quality specialists cannot find a job based on education or experience due to the language barrier.

In some countries, such employment is hindered by a bureaucratic component. For example, in Germany, you must first go through the procedure for confirming the qualifications of a diploma. Work experience may not matter at all.

Despite all the difficulties, more than a million people - some of the former workers and a significant part of the refugees - have already begun to work, - said Mateusz Morawiecki.

And yet there is a percentage of people who do not want to get a job, because they can live on social assistance from the government and organizations.

If last year they were provided with everything they needed and were not pushed to find a job, then in 2023 the governments of the countries of temporary asylum intend to motivate them to find a job as quickly as possible.

For example, in Poland, from January 2023, they plan to introduce a 100% fee for accommodation in boarding houses, sanatoriums, hostels and various types of centers for all able-bodied Ukrainians who do not find work for three months and do not rent housing.

What are the prospects for those who cannot find a job in their specialty?

Of course, safe and legal work abroad can be not only a source of income, but also an important stage in professional development, an opportunity to acquire new competencies and social contacts.

Thus, about half of the refugees say that employment opportunities were the main reason why they decided to seek asylum in this country.

This is stated in the report of the EU Asylum Agency (EUAA), prepared jointly with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

However, for the reasons mentioned above, many cannot find a decent job that would correspond to their knowledge.

EWL experts confirm that for Ukrainians who do not know the language of the country and do not have work experience, they offer physical work.

More of it is in the food, processing, automotive, logistics and care industries. About 70% of Ukrainians in such work in Poland can speak Ukrainian.

For such work, every third Ukrainian receives a salary of 3,000 to 4,000 net zlotys per month. The salary of almost every fifth Ukrainian, according to EWL, is from 4,000 to 5,000 zlotys per hand.

“However, the despair of people who have lost everything and believe that they are in complete despair can lead to the exploitation of their labor,” says Elena Kalbus, coordinator of anti-trafficking projects.

Labor traps: what kind of exploitation Ukrainians agree to and how to protect themselves

The data of the mentioned EWL survey show that 9% of Ukrainians agree to wages less than the minimum. Every second prefers to work overtime, from 10 to 12 hours a day, and 37% - from 8 to 10 hours.

Also willing to work weekends: almost 50% six days a week, and 8% seven days a week.

The independent analytical center Cedos, in three waves of its own research, recorded that Ukrainian women are ready to take on any part-time jobs in order to provide themselves and their families with the minimum means of survival.

No less frightening statistics are the results of a national study of the vulnerability of the population to human trafficking and exploitation in war conditions, which was conducted by the NGO Center for Women's Perspectives.

• 39% of respondents said they were ready to work in exchange for free food and housing;

• 17% of people are willing to work unofficially;

• 13% would agree to work in a locked room from which it is impossible to leave without the permission of the employer. There are those who are ready to give the employer their passport and phone for the duration of work;

• 4% are ready to work in an illegal enterprise.

In order not to get into a hopeless situation, experts advise signing an agreement, which will clearly spell out the amount for housing, food and the amount of work that you will perform.

Otherwise, there are no guarantees that you will not fall into the operating conditions.

It is also worth getting as much information as possible about where you are going, what you will do, what opportunities there will be in a particular area, depending on experience, family, social status, etc., - adds Maryana Semenyuk.