More than half of Ukrainian refugees in paid employment

© ANP / Marcel van den Bergh
On 1 November 2023, 55 percent of the approximately 78 thousand 15 to 64-year-old refugees with Ukrainian nationality living in the Netherlands were employed. This is an increase from one year previously: on 1 November 2022, the share of employees was still 44 percent. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this on the basis of newly released figures.
Ukrainian refugees who came to the Netherlands after the Russian invasion in late February 2022 do not need a work permit here. This puts them in an exceptional position compared to other migrants from outside the European Union or countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

Ukrainian refugees in the age group between 25 and 44 were employed the most often (59 percent), while young people aged 15 to 24 least often had employed work (49 percent). Men worked as often as women.

Majority working full-time, most have flexible contract

Most Ukrainian refugees were employed as on-call workers (26 percent), temporary workers (39 percent), or had other temporary employment (30 percent). More than half (53 percent) worked full-time, i.e. 35 hours per week or more; 15 percent worked 30 to 35 hours.

The majority of Ukrainian refugees were employed in the business services sector (51 percent), which includes employment agencies. It is often impossible to verify in which sector temporary workers are being deployed. Apart from business services, comparatively many Ukrainian refugees also worked in the trade, transport and accommodation and food services sectors (32 percent). Relative to one year previously, the share of those working in this sector increased by 5 percentage points, while the share in business services decreased by 5 percentage points.

Ukrainian refugees in paid employment changed employers relatively often. Of those who were in employment both on 1 November 2022 and on 1 November 2023, 41 percent changed employers in the meantime.

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