A turning point in labour market integration? Participation and precariousness: Ukrainians in the German labour market
Policy Brief | August 2022
Before the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine, Ukrainians working in Germany were often employed under precarious working conditions in the legal niche and grey zone of the low-wage sector. The activation of the Temporary Protection Directive granted temporary residence permits to all Ukrainian refugees in Germany. As a result, they have immediate access to the labour market, qualify for employment promotion measures and are eligible for the benefits provided under Germany's basic income support system. The Policy Brief examines the extent to which the realities of labour migration and forced displacement expose people from Ukraine to the risk of precarious working and living conditions. The activation of the Temporary Protection Directive and the switch to the German basic income support system have removed many of the key legal limitations on participation for Ukrainian refugees. However, this does not mean that the structural barriers to participation that exist in the labour market and in bureaucratic practice have been overcome. The risk of precarious working and living conditions remains.
