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Brief Analysis: Ukrainian Refugees in Germany , , Escape, Arrival and Everyday Life in Germany
Source: BAMF
The short study by the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), the Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB), the Research Centre of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF-FZ) and the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) at the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin) presents the first key findings from the joint study "Refugees from Ukraine in Germany". The focus of the nationwide study is on the living conditions and the associated central support needs of Ukrainian refugees in Germany.
The analyses are based on around 11,200 interviews with Ukrainian men and women who came to Germany between 24 February and 8 June 2022. The interviews were conducted throughout Germany on the basis of standardised questionnaires online (CAWI) or by paper questionnaire (PAPI) in the period from August to October 2022. When drawing the sample, 100 municipalities with a high proportion of Ukrainian refugees were first selected using the Central Register of Foreigners (AZR). The selected municipalities were then asked to provide addresses of this target population. By using weights, the sample is representative of this population. The study is planned as a longitudinal survey. A second wave of interviews will be conducted starting January 2023.
Central results
The study provides the very first representative data on Ukrainian refugees in Germany. Based on this, the short study presents findings on their arrival and the current living situation. These findings can help actors in the various policy areas to draw conclusions about the particular problems and support needs of Ukrainian refugees. The key findings are:
- The intentions of Ukrainian refugees to stay are heterogeneous: 37 percent want to stay in Germany forever or for several years, 34 percent plan to leave after the end of the war – the majority of them want to return to Ukraine – and 27 percent are still undecided.
- The vast majority of adult refugees are women (80 percent). Many of the women came to Germany without a partner (78 percent), but with underage children (48 percent). Of the men, 71 percent live in Germany with their partner.
- The refugees have a high level of education compared to the population in their country of origin: 72 percent have university degrees.
- Only a few had a good knowledge of German at the time of the survey (5 percent). However, half of the respondents are already attending a German language course.
- 74 percent of the respondents were living in private accommodation at the time of the survey, only 9 percent in shared accommodation.
- Most of the refugees rate their health as good, but their life satisfaction is significantly lower compared to the German population. In addition, the psychological well-being of Ukrainian children is low compared to other children in Germany.
- 17 percent of the refugees of working age were employed at the time of the survey. 71 percent of them had a job that required a vocational or university degree.
- The refugees expressed a particular need for support in learning the German language, finding a job, medical care and finding a place to live.
- In 92 percent of the families with children of school age, at least one child attends a school in Germany.
Citation
Brücker, H., Ette, A., Grabka, M. M., Kosyakova, Y., Niehues, W., Rother, N., Spieß, C. K., Zinn, S., Bujard, M., Cardozo, A., Décieux, J. P., Maddox, A., Milewski, N., Naderi, R., Sauer, L., Schmitz, S., Schwanhäuser, S., Siegert, M. & Tanis, K. (2023). Ukrainian refugees in Germany: Escape, arrival and everyday life (Brief Analysis 04|2022). Nuremberg. Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.
https:// doi.org/10.48570/bamf.fz.ka.04/2022.en.2023.ukrkurzbericht.1.0
Note: Identical versions of the short study in terms of content have been publish in a neutral design.