Ukrainians who arrived in Finland as refugees after February 2022 are becoming more interested than before in staying in the country, according to a survey commissioned by the Ministry of the Interior.
As many as 66% Ukrainian refugees are now planning to stay Finland permanently, which is significantly higher compared to the previous surveys, said the Ministry on Friday.
Most of the respondents (63%) are originally from eastern Ukraine and only 6% said they plan to return to Ukraine after the war.
In summer 2022, 27% said they intended to stay permanently, by autumn 2023 the figure had risen to 51% and now it stands at 66%.
Meanwhile, 26% of respondents have not yet decided whether to return or remain, compared to 39% in 2022 and 35% in 2023.
A study commissioned by the Ministry looks at how Ukrainians are managing in Finland, focusing on their employment, future plans and whether they intend to return to Ukraine after their temporary protection ends.
Progress in language skills and registering with municipal services after leaving the reception system have helped Ukrainians settle in Finland.
However, the relatively low employment rate remains a challenge.
About half of respondents (48%) plan to apply for a residence permit based on work, study or family ties once temporary protection ends while 14% of respondents said they already have a residence permit allowing them to continue living in Finland.
In order to have a residence permit and to stay in the country, Ukrainians will need to secure a job or study place, as the EU is not planning a new type of residence permit specifically for them. Those who do not meet the criteria for a regular permit would have to return to Ukraine.
The proportion of respondents who speak Finnish or English has increased each year. About 38% of respondents said they can work or study in Finnish.
Among those with Finnish skills, 34% are employed, compared to just 19% of those who say they have insufficient knowledge of Finnish, Swedish or English.
Although 67% of all respondents said they actively looked for work, only 30% are employed (28% in 2023).
Of the 33% who have not applied for a job, the most common reasons are self-reported insufficient language skills (72%) and weak employment (25%). One in five cite health or social reasons.
The EU Member States are committed to providing temporary protection to Ukrainians for as long as there is a need for protection. The EU has decided to extend temporary protection until 4 March 2027.
There are currently an estimated 48,000 Ukrainian refugees in Finland under temporary protection.
The online survey was conducted in July–August 2025 and got responses from 2,085 Ukrainian refugees living in Finland.
Arseniy Svynarenko and Anastasia Koptsyukh, who are researchers of Ukrainian origin carried out the study on behalf of the Ministry of the Interior.
- Ukrainian refugees
- Want
- Stay
- Finland
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
