An increasing number of Ukrainian refugees view Germany as their long-term home rather than merely a temporary sanctuary, with around 60% of those surveyed stating they consider Germany “permanent.”
The feeling of displacement usually implies something temporary, yet a sizeable 1.2 million Ukrainians now perceive their new life in Germany as likely to last, reflecting a notable rise from past surveys. According to a study by the Federal Population Research Institute, 59% of Ukrainians in Germany expressed intent to stay “for several years or permanently.”
Additionally, about 49% of adults indicated they wish to remain “forever.”
This trend suggests that the longer Ukrainians are in Germany, the less inclined they seem to be to return home. A report from Breitbart News noted that in 2023, 44% of Ukrainian refugees expressed a desire to stay in Germany “permanently” or for several more years, a significant rise from the 26% who wished to stay permanently just a year earlier, during the winter of 2022.
A recent study highlights how the family situations of Ukrainians greatly influence their decisions to return home once the war concludes. Initially, many women migrated to Germany alone, but subsequently, they were often joined by their partners, likely due to having family in Germany and a reluctance to go back to Ukraine.
However, since 2022, a number of Ukrainian women who had left their partners behind when escaping westward have since ended those relationships and started living separately. German statistics indicate that roughly one-third of long-distance relationships between individuals in Germany and Ukraine have dissolved since the onset of the war, with women who once had partners in Ukraine but are now single expressing a stronger desire to remain in Germany.
Another notable factor may be the rising employment rate among refugees, which surged from 18% of Ukrainians arriving in 2022 to 50% today. Although the Ukrainian government may find these trends concerning—especially considering the importance of young women returning post-war to avert economic and demographic decline—Germany’s statistical reports convey a positive outlook, labeling Ukrainian refugees as “a vital resource for the German labor market.”
