Nearly 6 out of 10 Ukrainian refugees are in paid employment

© ANP / Marcel van den Bergh
On 1 November 2024, of the over 92 thousand refugees aged 15 to 64 with Ukrainian nationality who are resident in the Netherlands, 59 percent were in paid employed. That was an increase compared to the previous year, when the share was 55 percent. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this on the basis of new figures.
Ukrainian refugees who came here after the Russian invasion in late February 2022 do not need a work permit for the Netherlands. This makes them an exception relative to other migrants from outside the European Union or the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

Ukrainian refugees aged between 25 and 44 were the most likely to have a job, while young people aged 15 to 24 were the least likely. Employment rates for men were the same as for women.

Ukrainian refugees (15-64 yrs) in paid employment, 1 November 2024
AgeUkrainian refugees in paid employment (%)
Total59
15-24 yrs50
25-44 yrs63
45-64 yrs59

Majority work full-time, mostly on a flexible employment contract

The largest number of Ukrainian refugees were employed as temporary workers (38 percent), on-call workers (24 percent), or had another kind of temporary employment contract (29 percent). More than half (53 percent) were working full-time (35 hours a week or more) and 15 percent of them were working 30-35 hours a week.

The majority of Ukrainian refugees were employed in the business services sector (50 percent), which includes temporary employment agencies. It is often impossible to verify in which sectors temporary workers are being deployed. Besides working in business services, a relatively high number of Ukrainian refugees were employed in the trade, transport, and accommodation and food services sectors (32 percent).

During 2022 and 2023, the share of those working as temporary workers and/or in business services fell, while in 2024 it remained stable. However, the share of people on permanent employment contracts rose, from 5 percent in November 2023 to 9 percent in the following year.