Ukrainian refugees: 60% want to live permanently in Germany!

Ukrainian refugees: 60% want to live permanently in Germany!

The integration of Ukrainian refugees in Germany is constantly increasing, and life prospects seem to be improving significantly. A current study by the Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB) shows that almost 60% of Ukrainian refugees want to stay in Germany long-term. What is particularly impressive is that 49% of adults and 34% of children and young people say they want to live in Germany “forever”. The has this information World compiled in their report.

A central factor for this lasting intention is the refugees' knowledge of German. Improved language skills not only have an impact on everyday life, but also promote integration into the labor market. The proportion of employable Ukrainians who have found a job increased from 32% in the spring of 2024 to 51% in the summer of the same year. In addition, 44% of respondents with a good knowledge of German feel welcome in Germany, while only 14% have the opposite opinion. This illustrates how important linguistic integration is for the well-being of refugees. According to information from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 61% of respondents with good language skills also identify more strongly with their place of residence.

Challenges and positive developments

Despite these encouraging figures, there are also challenges. The school affiliation of Ukrainian children is below average - only 63% feel like they belong to their school, while in Germany it is 76% overall. Children and young people in particular show that they learn German faster than their parents. While 92% of Ukrainians said they spoke German poorly or not at all when they arrived in 2022, today the figure is only 13% among those under 18. It remains to be hoped that this positive development will also strengthen the children's sense of belonging to school.

Another interesting detail concerns the family structure. Around 24% of Ukrainian women brought their partners with them to Germany, while 31% of them stayed behind alone. Of these women, 29% have separated from their partners, with separations being more common among unmarried couples. This could indicate that many women who want to stay in Germany long-term are becoming independent. Here, too, it can be seen that 49% of parents intend to stay in Germany permanently, while only 34% of children express this intention.

The path to integration

The opportunities for integration go beyond mere employment. It is important that refugees have legal, economic and social equality to create a sense of belonging. As the UN refugee aid emphasizes, integration is a gradual process that requires mutual efforts - from both the refugees and the host society. It is not only crucial to obtain permanent residency, but also to develop a real connection to your new home.

With around 1.2 million Ukrainians currently living in Germany, this group is the largest group of people seeking protection in this country. The majority of them are young and well-educated - 60% have a tertiary education. These valuable members of our society are not only looking for security, but also have significant potential to actively participate in social and economic life.