Ukrainian refugees in Sweden are integrating and finding work, while only a small proportion of citizens plan to return to Ukraine. Find out more about the integration of Ukrainians in Sweden, as well as their plans and obstacles that influence their decision to stay in the country

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Ukrainian refugees are actively integrating in Sweden. According to a new report by the International Organization for Migration conducted in April and May 2024, two-thirds of able-bodied Ukrainians have found work, and almost half can speak Swedish.

Stability and satisfaction with living conditions: integration of Ukrainians in Sweden

The survey, which covered 3,451 Ukrainians, showed that 81% of respondents do not plan to move from their current place of residence. This indicates their stability and satisfaction with living conditions in Sweden.

Among able-bodied refugees, 88% are participants in the local labor market: 66% already have a job, and the rest are actively looking for one. At the same time, the main obstacles to employment for Ukrainians in Sweden are

– language barrier;

– lack of suitable work in the area of residence;

– lack of necessary qualifications or their recognition;

– discrimination;

– lack of transportation to the workplace;

– difficulty in combining care for loved ones and work;

– health condition;

– improving the level of knowledge of the Swedish language.

It is noted that the level of Swedish language proficiency among Ukrainians has improved significantly (compared to the results of a similar survey conducted in 2023): 47% of respondents can speak Swedish, which is a significant increase from 26% in 2023.

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Financial stability and housing conditions for Ukrainians in Sweden

More than half of respondents (55%) have enough money to live on. The main source of income for 55% is work, and for 17% - support from the authorities. About 44% of respondents live in separate housing (rent or bought an apartment).

Plans to return to Ukraine

According to the survey, only 13% of Ukrainian refugees want to return to Ukraine when it becomes safe to do so. This is a significant decrease compared to 28% in 2023. Those who are undecided about returning in 2024 amount to 24%, which is also a decrease compared to 31% in 2023. At the same time, 58% of refugees surveyed do not want or cannot return to Ukraine, while in 2023 this figure was 37%.

In 2024, 68% of respondents, including 72% of men, expressed a desire to stay in Sweden in the long term. The authors of the study note that stable work, higher salaries and better social benefits encourage Ukrainians to build a new life in Sweden rather than return to Ukraine after the war.

We remind you! Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, a large number of Ukrainians have chosen Sweden as a new place of permanent residence. This is due to the high standard of living, stable economy and decent salaries. Read all about moving to Sweden in 2024, residence permits, labor market features and citizenship acquisition in this article.

Photo: Emigration lawyer

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Ihor Usyk is the Head of Legal Department at Visit Ukraine

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