News
Temporarily at home?
Dec 5, 2024

A new report by Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek- en Datacentrum (WODC) provides an analysis of the position of Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands. The report indicates that displaced people from Ukraine, despite their ‘temporary status’, take their integration seriously. They take active part in the labour market and they strive to find stable jobs and housing. At the same time, authors underline, while these refugees benefit from the Temporary Protection Direction (TPD), they also face several significant challenges:
Many work in lower-tier jobs far below their education level. Around a third of Ukrainian refugees reported less-than-ideal working conditions, long working hours, and even discrimination;
More than 50.000 Ukrainians in the Netherlands suffer from mental health challenges and stress, while only 6% is supported by a psychologist or psychiatrist;
Most do not speak Dutch due to insufficient language classes and integration support under the TPD framework.
As authors indicate, the status of Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands is by definition temporary, therefore they find themselves in a state of what we call "permanent temporality."
This precarious position of Ukrainian refugees is one we have highlighted in our own work, particularly through our analyses of housing conditions and labor market integration.
Mental health stands out as one of the most pressing concerns. Through our Empatia Program , we support access to mental health support for displaced persons from Ukraine (UDP) in the Netherlands. However, the data we collect echoes the challenges identified by WODC: uncertainty, a sense of limbo, inability to plan for the future, unstable and sometimes unsafe living and working conditions, and stress resulting from the lack of clarity about life after the tpd.
These are just some of the issues Ukrainian refugees face on a daily basis.
As WODC notes, many Ukrainians have become increasingly focused on building their lives in the Netherlands and may decide to stay. In addition, we know that children of UDPs integrate fast within the Dutch educational system. This underscores the urgent need to create clear pathways for development and long-term protection for the more than 115.000 Ukrainian displaced people registered here.
Let's continue working together to ensure no one remains trapped in "permanent temporality".
