Ukrainian refugees in Germany: participation is growing, but many hurdles remain

How are the many Ukrainians who have come to Germany since the start of the Russian war of aggression on February 24, 2022, faring? An answer comes from the “Longitudinal Study on Refugees from Ukraine in Germany (SUARE),” which has published a research report on the topic on 3 March, 2025. The report, based on data collected between July 2023 and January 2024, is being published by the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), the Research Center of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF-FZ), and the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).

Many areas of life have stabilized, for example family structures: although women are the main group of adults (75%), the number of men joining their families has increased slightly since 2022. The proportion of single mothers has fallen sharply, but the childcare rate for Ukrainian children is 15% below the German average. In particular, alternative childcare models are needed to make it easier for mothers to enter the labor market, says Sabine Zinn, Acting Director of the SOEP.

Ukrainian children and young people are well integrated in schools: The majority of Ukrainian pupils are now being taught entirely in regular German classes. Only 16 percent of schoolchildren between the ages of 7 and 17 now only attend special classes. However, there is still room for improvement in terms of school selection: compared to the overall school population, Ukrainian pupils attend a disproportionately high number of middle and lower secondary schools. There is a need for action here to ensure equal opportunities.

Further results of the Socio-Economic Panel relate to the physical and mental health of Ukrainians. The cooperation partners IAB and BAMF-FZ analyze the data with regard to labor market integration, housing, participation in education, and German language skills, for example. The full text of the report is available here (PDF, 2.84 MB) (only in German).