Ukrainians face language barriers in accessing employment in the EU despite high levels of higher education – SchengenVisaInfo.com

Ukrainian migrants in Europe, especially new arrivals covered by the Temporary Protection Directive, have one of the highest levels of higher education compared to other asylum seekers and non-EU citizens living in the zone, with an educational attainment level of 26%.

According to the Survey on Arriving Migrants from Ukraine (SAM-UKR), in which 4,179 Ukrainian citizens participated, the main barrier to employment is language, as 98 percent of them speak Ukrainian, another 88 percent are fluent in Russian, and only 50 percent speak English, reports SchengenVisaInfo.com.

According to the study, Ukrainians who had better knowledge of the languages ​​in particular countries were more willing to choose these countries. Language courses were the first cause of difficulties for Ukrainian citizens in accessing the labor market in EU countries – 53 percent said so, and another 20 percent said so. the main reason was the lack of childcare facilities.

It is worth mentioning that three out of ten unemployed respondents faced multiple barriers that made access to employment opportunities even more difficult. Additionally, six out of ten unemployed respondents said that finding a job was an urgent or very urgent priority for them.

More than three quarters of Ukrainians are employed

When it comes to employment, the survey found that 78 percent respondents were able to take up work on the labor market, another 22 percent were professionally inactive, of which 11 percent waiting for qualifications to be recognized, 5 percent percent were students or housewives.

Overall, six out of ten respondents were employed during the study period. Moreover, respondents who worked in engineering, science and technology were less likely to be unemployed, as were those who worked in education and teaching, as only 27 percent of them were at risk of unemployment.

Respondents who worked as beauticians or technical and construction workers were more likely to be unemployed – approximately 52 percent, while 96 percent those who were not working before displacement are now employed in European countries.

Improving the recognition of professional qualifications, together with language training and support in access to work, could improve the use of skills and know-how transferred by displaced persons from Ukraine.

In general, employment among Ukrainians varies in terms of language skills, education level and work experience. People with a technical or higher education were more likely to be employed, while others, especially those who had not learned the host country language or English, were more likely to be unemployed.