Ukrainians in Finland who fled the war: their registration in municipalities of residence and their future plans Survey results Migration | Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Ministry of the Interior www.intermin.fi PO Box 26, FI-00023 Government Ukrainians in Finland who fled the war: their registration in municipalities of residence and their future plans Survey results Anastasia Koptsyukh, Arseniy Svynarenko Ministry of the Interior Helsinki 2024 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Ministry of the Interior CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 ISBN pdf: 978-952-324-957-8 ISSN pdf: 2490-077X Layout: Government Administration Department, Publications Helsinki 2024 Finland Publication distribution Institutional Repository for the Government of Finland Valto julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi https://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/ Description sheet 21 March 2024 Ukrainians in Finland who fled the war: their registration in municipalities of residence and their future plans Survey results Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Subject Migration Publisher Ministry of the Interior Author(s) Anastasia Koptsyukh, Arseniy Svynarenko Language English Pages 76 Abstract The purpose of the survey was to map the plans of Ukrainian refugees who have arrived in Finland with regard to their residence in the country, applying for registration in a municipality of residence and possible return to Ukraine. The survey is based on the results of an online Webropol questionnaire for Ukrainians. The questionnaire was filled in by 1 302 Ukrainians. The survey was a follow-up to a similar study carried out in summer 2022, and it was commissioned by the Ministry of the Interior. Of the respondents, 53% had registered their municipality of residence in the population register and 28% intended to apply for registration. Only 2% of the respondents said they did not intend to apply for registration. The reasons given by respondents for not applying for registration were uncertainty about the continuation of their residence permit, lack of information about applying for registration in a municipality of residence and fear of losing services and benefits. The majority (82%) of Ukrainians who responded to the survey planned for the next six months to remain living in the same place where they were residing in Finland. Of the respondents, 12% intended to return to Ukraine once the security situation in the country has stabilised, 35% were unsure and 51% said they wanted to settle in Finland permanently. According to the survey, Ukrainians trust the information provided by the Finnish authorities more than before. Over 90% of the respondents were satisfied with their life in Finland. How long the respondents had been in Finland did not affect their level of satisfaction. Keywords Ukraine, immigration, municipality of residence, refugees, migration ISBN PDF 978-952-324-957-8 ISSN PDF 2490-077X URN address https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-324-957-8 https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-324-957-8 Kuvailulehti 21.3.2024 Sotaa paenneet ukrainalaiset Suomessa - kotikuntaan siirtyminen ja tulevaisuuden suunnitelmat Tulokset Sisäministeriön julkaisuja 2024:8 Teema Maahanmuutto Julkaisija Sisäministeriö Tekijä/t Anastasia Koptsyukh, Arseniy Svynarenko Kieli englanti Sivumäärä 76 Tiivistelmä Selvityksen tavoitteena oli kartoittaa Suomeen saapuneiden ukrainalaispakolaisten suunnitelmia Suomessa oleskelun, kotikunnan hakemisen ja mahdollisen Ukrainaan paluun osalta. Selvitys laadittiin ukrainalaisille suunnatun, verkossa täytettävän Webropol-kyselyn tulosten pohjalta. Kyselyyn vastasi 1 302 ukrainalaisia. Selvitys on jatkoa kesällä 2022 tehdylle vastaavalle tutkimukselle. Selvitys on laadittu sisäministeriön toimeksiannosta. Kyselyyn vastanneista 53 % oli rekisteröinyt kotikunnan väestörekisteriin ja 28 % oli aikeissa hakea kotikuntaa. Ainoastaan 2 % vastaajista ilmoitti, että ei aikonut hakea kotikunnan rekisteröintiä. Syynä kotikunnan hakematta jättämiseen vastaajat ilmoittivat oleskeluluvan jatkumiseen liittyvän epävarmuuden, tiedonpuutteet liittyen kotikunnan hakemiseen sekä pelon liittyen palveluiden ja etuuksien menettämiseen. Suurin osa (82%) kyselyyn vastanneista ukrainalaisista aikoi jäädä seuraavan kuuden kuukauden ajan samaan paikkaan, jossa he asuivat Suomessa. Turvallisuustilanteen vakauduttua Ukrainaan aikoi palata 12%, epävarmoja oli 35% ja 51% ilmoitti haluavansa asettua Suomeen pysyvästi. Selvityksen mukaan ukrainalaiset luottavat Suomen viranomaisten välittämään informaatioon aiempaa enemmän.Vastaajista yli 90% oli tyytyväisiä elämäänsä Suomessa. Se, kuinka kauan vastaaja oli ollut Suomessa, ei vaikuttanut tyytyväisyyden asteeseen. Asiasanat Ukraina, maahanmuutto, kotikunta, pakolaiset, maahanmuutto ISBN PDF 978-952-324-957-8 ISSN PDF 2490-077X Julkaisun osoite https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-324-957-8 https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-324-957-8 Presentationsblad 21.3.2024 Ukrainare i Finland som flytt kriget – registrering av hemkommun och framtidsplaner Resultat Inrikesministeriets publikationer 2024:8 Tema Migration Utgivare Inrikesministeriet Författare Anastasia Koptsyukh, Arseniy Svynarenko Språk engelska Sidantal 76 Referat Syftet med utredningen var att kartlägga planerna hos ukrainska flyktingar i Finland i fråga om vistelse i Finland, ansökan om hemkommun och eventuell återresa till Ukraina. Utredningen gjordes utifrån resultaten av en Webropol-enkät som riktades till ukrainare. Sammanlagt 1 302 ukrainare svarade på enkäten. Utredningen är en fortsättning på en motsvarande undersökning sommaren 2022 och den gjordes på uppdrag av inrikesministeriet. Av dem som besvarade enkäten hade 53 procent registrerad hemkommun i befolkningsregistret och 28 procent hade för avsikt att ansöka om hemkommun. Endast 2 procent av svarspersonerna uppgav att de inte tänkte ansöka om registrering av hemkommun. De som inte tänkte ansöka om hemkommun uppgav att det berodde på osäkerheten i fråga om fortsatt uppehållstillstånd, på bristfällig information i fråga om ansökan om hemkommun samt på rädsla för att förlora tjänster och förmåner. Majoriteten (82%) av ukrainarna som svarade på enkäten planerade att under de kommande sex månaderna bo kvar på samma plats där de bodde i Finland. 12 procent tänker återvända till Ukraina när säkerhetssituationen stabiliseras, 35 procent är osäkra och 51 procent uppger att de vill bosätta sig permanent i Finland. Enligt utredningen litar ukrainarna mer än tidigare på de finländska myndigheternas information. Över 90 procent av dem som svarade var nöjda med sitt liv i Finland. Hur länge svarspersonerna hade varit i Finland inverkade inte på hur nöjda de var. Nyckelord Ukraina, invandring, hemkommun, flyktingar, migration ISBN PDF 978-952-324-957-8 ISSN PDF 2490-077X URN-adress https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-324-957-8 https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-324-957-8 Contents Summary.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 1 Introduction.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 1.1 Foreword.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 1.2 An overview of the situation regarding displacement.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 1.3 Methodology and data.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 2 Survey demographics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 2.1 Key characteristics of the survey sample. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 2.2 Education and work in Ukraine.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 2.3 Regions of residence in Ukraine before moving to Finland.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 3 The situation in Finland.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 3.1 Living circumstances in Finland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 3.2 Reasons for migration to Finland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 3.3 Temporary protection in other EU countries.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 3.4 Integration in Finland.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 3.5 Overall satisfaction with life in Finland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 4 Transition from reception services to municipalities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 4.1 Applications for municipality of residence.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 4.2 First steps after transfer to the municipality of residence.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 4.3 Reasons for not applying for registration in a municipality of residence.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 4.4 Access to information about the municipality of residence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 5 Plans for the future and for potential return to Ukraine.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 5.1 Plans for the near future.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 5.2 Factors influencing the decision to stay in Finland.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Annexes.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 7 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 S U M M A RY This report is based on a survey of 1,302 respondents that was conducted in November 2023. The report covers important aspects of the situation of Ukrainians with temporary protection status in Finland: employment, transfer to a municipality of residence, mobility within Finland, overall satisfaction with life in Finland, and plans to return to Ukraine. In the period from the beginning of the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine and activation of the Temporary Protection Directive to 1 January 2024, approximately 65,500 persons, mostly women and children, applied for temporary protection in Finland. The majority of respondents (74%) came to Finland from the eastern parts of Ukraine most damaged by the war: the Kharkiv, Kyiv, Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk and Dnipropetrovsk regions. In Ukraine, two thirds of the respondents had been employed, and every tenth had been an entrepreneur. A similar picture is visible among Ukrainians in Finland, where 70% want to work and 10% want to start a business. In addition, the survey responses indicate that Ukrainians are highly educated, with over 63% having at least a Bachelor’s degree and 27% having completed vocational education. The Ukrainian respondents’ level of satisfaction with life in Finland was very high, with over 90% of respondents mostly or very satisfied. The length of stay in Finland may not have a significant impact on the level of satisfaction of respondents; it was only those who came to Finland more recently that were slightly more uncertain in their evaluation of their own situation. The proportion of respondents who registered in a municipality of residence varies between groups that arrived at different times. Of those respondents who came to Finland in 2022, some 74% have transferred from reception services and registered in a municipality of residence, as have 53% of those who have been in Finland for 12–18 months. A significant proportion of respondents (over 50%) experience various levels of uncertainty regarding registration of a municipality of residence: every third respondent was unsure how long they will stay in Finland, 14% needed more information, and 9% feared losing support or benefits. Some of this uncertainty 8 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 was tied to incomplete understanding of the steps involved in the transition to municipalities (informational insufficiency) and some of it was due to lack of clarity regarding the consequences of the transition (fear of losing access to services and support). The survey responses indicated what the five most common sources of information about registration in municipalities are: reception centres (the primary source of information), government websites, social media groups, and the social media posts of government agencies. (Almost every third respondent indicated that official government social media accounts were useful sources.) It is likely that the availability of information in the Ukrainian language on official websites and social media also played an important role in increasing the popularity of the official sources of information. The informational needs of persons with temporary protection status are dominated by the topics of employment and integration (e.g. information regarding language courses). Many respondents (45%) wanted more information about social and healthcare services, as well as about housing (38%) and Kela assistance (37%) or compulsory education for children (28%). The mobility within Finland is rather low: only 10% said that they were planning to move to another region within Finland, at least immediately after registration in their municipality of residence. The majority of respondents (82%) were planning to stay in the place they were living at the time of survey. Local ties most likely play an important role in this: children already attending schools, employment and a newly acquired social circle. In comparison to the previous study, carried out in 2022 at the beginning of the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, there was an increase in the proportion of respondents who made the decision to not to return from Finland to Ukraine: from 27% in 2022 to 51% in 2023. The proportion of persons who did plan to return to Ukraine decreased from 26% in 2022 to 12% in 2023. Respondents who were considering returning to Ukraine were planning to do so only after the war is over. At the time of survey, many of these respondents were taking care of children at home, retired or unemployed. In contrast, those who indicated they were employed at the time of the survey, or who were studying or attending language courses, were still uncertain about the future or whether they wanted to stay in Finland. 9 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 1 Introduction 1.1 Foreword Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, over 65,000 Ukrainians have applied for temporary protection in Finland. The unprecedented inflow of persons seeking international protection in Finland has given rise to the need to obtain information about their situation. For that purpose, a first survey of the situation of Ukrainians in Finland was conducted by the Ministry of the Interior and other government agencies between 15 June and 6 July 2022, the results of which were published in September 2022.1 In November 2023, the Ministry of the Interior conducted a second survey of Ukrainians with temporary protection status in Finland. The results of this second survey of 1,302 respondents are presented in this report. The 2022 study was aimed particularly at surveying the situation of Ukrainians with temporary protection status. In that study, the special focus was on the experiences of Ukrainians in relation to reception services. In 2023, the follow-up survey was aimed at evaluating any change in the situation of Ukrainians in Finland over a one- year period. The 2023 study, presented in this report, examines in particular the early effects of the transition of Ukrainians from reception services to municipalities and wellbeing services counties. The current report also presents an analysis of the mobility of Ukrainians with temporary protection status, as well as aspects concerning registration of a municipality of residence, something that became possible for this group on 1 March 2023. The survey questions also covered the general situation of Ukrainians with temporary protection status in 2023, access to information on registration of a municipality of residence, mobility within Finland, life situations (e.g. employment and education), and plans to travel abroad and experiences of having done so. In addition, the survey assessed the overall satisfaction of Ukrainians with life in Finland and their plans for the future, especially for any potential return to Ukraine. 1 Svynarenko, A., Koptsyukh, A. (2022) The situation of Ukrainians in Finland who fled the war: survey results. Ministry of the Interior. http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-324-562-4. http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-324-562-4 10 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 1.2 An overview of the situation regarding displacement The UNHCR has estimated that, globally, there are 6,332,700 persons who have fled Ukraine since 24 February 2022.2 Most of them, about 4.2 million people, have benefited from the European Union’s Temporary Protection Directive.3 The temporary protection mechanism was activated on 4 March 2022, and in September 2023 the European Council extended to 4 March 2025 the temporary protection for people fleeing from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.4 In the period from the beginning the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine and activation of the Temporary Protection Directive to 1 January 2023, approximately 65,500 persons applied for temporary protection in Finland. Of these, 46,640 applied in 2022 and 18,825 in 2023. Protection was granted to almost all applicants. Similar numbers of displaced Ukrainians were recorded in the neighbouring Nordic countries, Sweden and Norway. In Norway, the government adopted temporary collective protection legislation similar to the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive.5 Not all of those who applied for temporary protection in Finland resided in Finland in November 2023, when this survey was conducted. The Ministry of the Interior estimates that, by 1 January 2024, as many as 23,000 persons with temporary protection status had left Finland and either returned to Ukraine or moved to another country. This constitutes 32% of all who earlier applied for temporary protection. 2 UNHCR (2023) Ukraine Refugee Situation. Online publication: https://data.unhcr.org/ en/situations/ukraine. (Accessed 15 December 2023) 3 European Council (2023) Refugee inflow from Ukraine. Online publication: https://www. consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/eu-migration-policy/refugee-inflow-from-ukraine/. (Accessed 17 December 2023) 4 European Council (2023) Ukrainian refugees: EU member states agree to extend temporary protection. Online publication: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/ press-releases/2023/09/28/ukrainian-refugees-eu-member-states-agree-to-extend- temporary-protection/. (Accessed 18 December 2023) 5 Hernes V., Aasland A., Deineko O., Myhre M. H., et al. (2023) Reception, settlement and integration of Ukrainian refugees in Norway: Experiences and perceptions of Ukrainian refugees and municipal stakeholders (2022–2023). NIBR Working Paper, 2023:11. Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research, Oslo. https://data.unhcr.org/en/situations/ukraine https://data.unhcr.org/en/situations/ukraine https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/eu-migration-policy/refugee-inflow-from-ukraine/ https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/eu-migration-policy/refugee-inflow-from-ukraine/ https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/09/28/ukrainian-refugees-eu-member-states-agree-to-extend-temporary-protection/ https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/09/28/ukrainian-refugees-eu-member-states-agree-to-extend-temporary-protection/ https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/09/28/ukrainian-refugees-eu-member-states-agree-to-extend-temporary-protection/ 11 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 The security situation in Ukraine has not improved in 2023. Much of the Ukrainian infrastructure has been destroyed or damaged.6 The humanitarian situation and the progress of reconstruction significantly affect when, where and how refugees can permanently return to Ukraine. In large areas the prospects for a permanent return are still poor. With the prolonged duration of the war, it is likely that persons with temporary protection status will continue to integrate into Finnish society. Adaptation services, Finnish and Swedish language training, and professional education will therefore remain important for their successful adaptation to a new society. Similarly, diaspora organisations will continue to be of high relevance in further enhancing integration and in strengthening wellbeing through work with Ukrainians communities, thereby preserving the Ukrainian language and culture. 1.3 Methodology and data The data were collected by means of an online questionnaire. Invitations containing information about the survey and links to the online questionnaire in the Ukrainian language were distributed through a broad range of Ministry of the Interior channels, as well as through the Ministry’s stakeholders, such as the Finnish Immigration Service and other agencies. Invitations to take part in the study were posted on social media channels, including in multiple Facebook, Telegram and WhatsApp groups, the media channels of local associations of Ukrainians and NGOs, and on official websites. This ensured broad geographical representation in the sample. At the stage of data collection, the questionnaire was addressed only to persons with temporary protection status; no other filters or eligibility criteria were applied to affect the sample. Convenience sampling meant that respondents voluntarily made decisions about taking part in the survey, and the invitations to participate were not individualised. For this report, we analysed the answers of 1,302 respondents who took part in the online survey. Some answers were complete, and others answers to questions throughout the survey were partial. 6 KSE (2023) Zahalʹna suma pryamykh zbytkiv, zavdanykh infrastrukturi Ukrayiny cherez more, stanovytʹ $151,2 mlrd – stanom na 1 veresnya 2023 roku. (The total amount of direct damage caused to the infrastructure of Ukraine due to the war reaches $151.2 billion – estimate as of 1 September 2023) Online publication: https://damaged.in.ua/ damage-assessment. (Accessed 18 December 2023) https://damaged.in.ua/damage-assessment https://damaged.in.ua/damage-assessment 12 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 2 Survey demographics 2.1 Key characteristics of the survey sample Most of the Ukrainians who fled to Finland were women and children. The implementation of martial law in Ukraine and the general mobilisation place restrictions on travel abroad for men aged between 18 and 60 years old. Martial law is in effect in Ukraine until 14 February 2024.7 Aiming to mobilise 450,000–500,000 people during 2024, the government of Ukraine is working on revisions of the mobilisation law and an expansion of the categories of the population eligible for mobilisation.8 Nevertheless, certain males can, despite martial law, exit Ukraine and apply for protection abroad: those who travel with a disabled person in their care, those who care for three or more children, those who lie outside the ability or age range for service in the army (below 18 or above 60), and a few other exceptions.9 As many as 75% of the respondents who took part in the survey in 2023 were female (Table 1). The proportion of female respondents in the previous survey was higher, at 85%.10 According to the Finnish Immigration Service Migri, of the total number of applicants for temporary protection, the proportion of female applicants 7 RFE/RL (2023) Zelenskiy Signs Laws Extending Martial Law, General Mobilization as Russia Hits Civilian Targets. (RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service, 9 November 2023) Online publication: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-zelenskiy-martial-law-mobilization- russia/32678119.html. (Accessed 20 December 2023) 8 RFE/RL (2023) Ukrainian Deputies Withdraw Draft Mobilization Bill, but Defense Minister Says New Version Already Prepared. (RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service, 11 January 2024) Online publication: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-mobilization-bill-withdrawn- umerov/32770768.html. (Accessed 12 January 2024) 9 Gutiérrez, Ó. (2023) Young Ukrainians leave the country to avoid going to war. EL PAÍS. (14 August 2023) Online publication: https://english.elpais.com/ international/2023-08-14/young-ukrainians-leave-the-country-to-avoid-going-to-war. html. (Accessed 21 December 2023) 10 Svynarenko A., Koptsyukh A. (2022) The situation of Ukrainians in Finland who fled the war: survey results. Ministry of the Interior. Online publication: http://urn.fi/ URN:ISBN:978-952-324-562-4. https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-zelenskiy-martial-law-mobilization-russia/32678119.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-zelenskiy-martial-law-mobilization-russia/32678119.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-mobilization-bill-withdrawn-umerov/32770768.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-mobilization-bill-withdrawn-umerov/32770768.html https://english.elpais.com/international/2023-08-14/young-ukrainians-leave-the-country-to-avoid-going-to-war.html https://english.elpais.com/international/2023-08-14/young-ukrainians-leave-the-country-to-avoid-going-to-war.html https://english.elpais.com/international/2023-08-14/young-ukrainians-leave-the-country-to-avoid-going-to-war.html http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-324-562-4 http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-324-562-4 13 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 including children was 60% and male 40%. In the current study, most respondents (84%) were between the ages of 26 and 55 years old. Respondents over 56 years old and below 25 made up, respectively, 6% and 10% of respondents in the survey. Table 1.  The gender composition of the survey samples in 2022 and 2023. Gender 2022 2023 Female 85% 75% Male 15% 25% Total 100% 100% Ukrainian is the official language in Ukraine, used by official institutions and government administrations. Studies conducted in Ukraine indicated that, after implementation of the law with the title ‘On ensuring the functioning of the Ukrainian language as a state language’ in 2019, and especially after the large- scale Russian military invasion of Ukraine, an increasing number of Ukrainians used Ukrainian in their daily lives. In 2022, only 15% of Ukrainians used Russian, down from 25% in 2017. As many as 68% used Ukrainian in work and education in 2022, up from 43% in 2017.11 In a multiple-choice question about the language skills of Ukrainian respondents in Finland, 98% of respondents answered that their level of Ukrainian is sufficient for work or study, and 90% mentioned the Russian language (Table 2). In 2023, the proportion of respondents who indicated they know Russian is 4% lower than in the previous survey in 2022, a change from 94% to 90%. As in the previous survey, no question was posed regarding the language that bilingual Ukrainians (who speak Ukrainian and Russian) prefer to use in their daily lives. Of the Ukrainian respondents with temporary protection status in Finland, 35% speak English. This is 4% higher than in the 2022 survey, when the proportion was 31%. 11 Kulyk, V. (2023) Mova ta identychnistʹ v Ukrayini na kinetsʹ 2022-ho. Zbruch. (7 January 2023) Online publication: https://zbruc.eu/node/114247. (Accessed 14 December 2023) https://zbruc.eu/node/114247 14 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 In comparison to the previous survey, the biggest increase is reflected in knowledge of the Finnish language: it is now spoken by 12% of Ukrainians, whereas in the previous survey, in 2022, the proportion of Ukrainian respondents who knew Finnish was less than 1%. Some 7% of respondents (87) chose ‘Other’ and indicated specific languages that were not listed: Polish, German and Swedish. These figures indicate Ukrainians’ progress in language learning – mostly in Finnish, but also in Swedish – over the course of a little more than a year. Increased proficiency in Finnish and Swedish may further contribute to employment opportunities, for instance, and generally foster the integration of Ukrainians into Finnish society. Table 2.  The distribution of answers to the question, ‘Choose the languages that you know well enough to work or study in.’ Multiple response question. Language Proportion of respondents in 2022 Proportion of respondents in 2023 Ukrainian 97% 98% Russian 94% 90% English 31% 35% Finnish - 12% Other 5% 7% 2.2 Education and work in Ukraine Regarding the educational level of Ukrainians, the survey results are similar to those of the previous study, indicating that the Ukrainians who arrived in Finland in 2022 and 2023 are highly educated. Over 63% of all survey respondents have at least a Bachelor’s degree (29% Bachelor’s, 34% Master’s) and 27% have completed specialised college or vocational education (Figure 1). Only 6% of respondents have only a basic general or lower educational level, and 37% of those (28 respondents) are under 25 years of age. 15 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Among the 4% (45 respondents) who selected ‘Other’ as their response regarding type of education are those who have , for instance, two higher education degrees or have the highest level of education, Doctor of Philosophy or Doctor of Science (17 respondents). Figure 1.  The reported highest obtained level of education of respondents. Among 18–25-year-olds, every third respondent reported having completed vocational school education. The highest level of education was reported by respondents aged over 66 (53% with at least a Master’s degree) and by 26–35-year- olds (40% with at least a Master’s degree). In terms of employment in Ukraine before coming to Finland, the majority of respondents (68%) were employed, while 11% were entrepreneurs, 8% cared for children and 6% indicated they were studying (Figure 2). Only 2% of respondents were unemployed. Some 5% of respondents chose the ‘Other’ category, mentioning that they were pensioneers, took care of relatives (not necessarily children) or used to work for the government. About 79% of respondents were professionally occupied in Ukraine as employees or entrepreneurs, while over 14% studied or cared for others as their main occupation prior to coming to Finland. 34% 29% 27% 6% 4% Higher education (at least Master’s degree) Incomplete higher education (at least Bachelor’s degree) Vocational school, professional education Secondary school or lower Other level 16 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Figure 2.  Distribution of answers to the question, ‘What did you do in Ukraine before coming to Finland?’ Prior to their arrival in Finland, 43% of the 18–25-year-old respondents worked and approximately the same percentage (42.5%) studied. The employment level was highest among 26–55-year-olds, 72.6% of whom were employed. In many EU Member States, including Finland, 65 years is a common retirement age12 (an indicator usually tied to life expectancy in the country). In Ukraine, the retirement age is lower, generally 60 years for both men and women (in 2022).13 Yet many pensioners in Ukraine choose to continue working. According to the results of this survey, every third respondent (33.3%) aged 66 or above was employed in Ukraine. Of 56–65-year-olds, approximately every second respondent worked (56.90%) and every fifth was an entrepreneur (20.7%). 12 ETK, Retirement Ages – Finnish Centre for Pensions (etk.fi). Online publication: https://www.etk.fi/en/work-and-pensions-abroad/international-comparisons/ retirement-ages/. (Accessed 19 January 2024) 13 ILO (2017) Universal Social Protection. Universal old-age, disability and survivors’ pensions in Ukraine. 68% 11% 8% 6% 5% 2% Employee Entrepreneur Looked after children at home Student Other Unemployed https://www.etk.fi/en/work-and-pensions-abroad/international-comparisons/retirement-ages/ https://www.etk.fi/en/work-and-pensions-abroad/international-comparisons/retirement-ages/ 17 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 2.3 Regions of residence in Ukraine before moving to Finland Figure 3.  A map of Ukraine’s regions representing the distribution of answers to the question, ‘Where in Ukraine did you live before arriving in Finland?’ 18 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 The map in Figure 3 shows that most respondents came to Finland from the Kharkiv region (19%, n=235), the Kyiv region (15%, n=188) and the Donetsk region (14%, n=177). Overall, the majority of respondents in the sample (66%, n=830) came from the southern and eastern regions. The proportion of respondents from the northernmost regions of Ukraine (the oblasts of Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Chernihiv and Sumy), which were partially under Russian occupation in spring 2022 and had been liberated by the summer of the same year, decreased from 25% to 21%. This probably partially reflects the effect of the de-occupation of those territories, and the associated return to Ukraine of some persons with temporary protection status. The overall security situation in these regions has improved. Nevertheless, population centres in these regions are under regular Russian air and artillery bombardment, especially in the proximity of the border. 19 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 3 The situation in Finland 3.1 Living circumstances in Finland The largest inflow of Ukrainians applying for temporary protection in Finland was in the first part of 2022. Accordingly, in November 2023 the majority of respondents (74%) indicated that they had lived in Finland for over a year (12 months or more): 14% for 7–11 months, 10% for 1–6 months and around 2% for less than a month (Figure 4). This indicates that most respondents have been in Finland for a longer time, which may correlate with the newly acquired Finnish language skills (reported by 12% of respondents) mentioned in the previous section of this report, as well as with some elements of integration (such as employment and the desire to remain in and integrate in the country, referred to below). Figure 4.  The distribution of answers to the question, ‘How long have you been living in Finland?’ All regions of Finland were represented among the survey respondents, with the largest group, 32%, living in the Uusimaa region, including 8% in Helsinki and 4% in Espoo. About 10% lived in the central area of Finland, and 4% in the most northern area. While many Ukrainians with temporary protection status 28 % 46 % 14 % 10 % 2 % More than 18 months 12–18 months 7–11 months 1–6 months Less than a month 20 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 have received the right to register in a municipality of their choice, no significant impact on the mobility between municipalities is expected; most Ukrainians have expressed interest in remaining in the same municipality and only one out of 10 has considering moving elsewhere in Finland. Almost half of the respondents (47%) indicated that they were registered in a municipality of residence and lived in separate rented accommodation. As many as 43% of respondents were registered at a reception centre and were living in accommodation provided by the centre, and 8% were living in private accommodation (Figure 5). Figure 5.  The distribution of answers to the question, ‘What are your current living circumstances?’ In Table 3, we correlate the answers of respondents with the length of time that they have lived in Finland, in order to further assess their answers. Of Ukrainians that have been living in Finland for 11 months or less (i.e. those who indicated that they have been living in Finland for less than a month [n=14], 1–6 months [n=103] and 7–11 months [n=149]), the majority of them (81%; a total of 266 respondents out of 328) are registered at a reception centre and live in accommodation provided by the reception centre. 47% 43% 8% 2% Registered in the municipality of residence and live in a rented apartment Registered at a reception centre and live in accommodation provided by the centre Registered at the reception centre, but live in private accommodation Other 21 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 A total of 53% of respondents (n=316) who have been living in Finland for 12–18 months are registered in their municipality of residence and live in a rented apartment, while 39% (n=230) of those who have been living in Finland for that duration are registered at a reception centre and live in accommodation provided by the centre. A total of 74% of respondents (n=270) who have been living in Finland for over 18 months and who stated their current living circumstances are registered in their municipality and live in their own rented apartment, while 6% (n=23) live in private accommodation but are still registered at a reception centre. Overall, this means that 80% of respondents who have been living in Finland for over 18 months live in private accommodation, with 74% registered in their municipality of residence and 6% still registered at the reception centre and receiving reception services). As Table 3 shows, around 18% are registered at a reception centre and live in accommodation provided by the reception centre. It is notable that, of respondents who have lived in Finland for less than one year, very few (n=16) are registered in their municipality of residence. Generally, only Ukrainians with temporary protection status who have lived in Finland for at least a year can register in their municipality of residence. There are some exceptions: for instance, in the case of family reunion or under-age children, if one of the family members had already registered in a municipality, other members can register in the municipality of residence without the legal requirement of living in Finland for one year.14 14 Section 4, Kotikuntalaki 201/1994 – Ajantasainen lainsäädäntö – FINLEX: https://www. finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/1994/19940201#L2P4. (Accessed 24 January 2024) https://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/1994/19940201#L2P4 https://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/1994/19940201#L2P4 22 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Table 3.  The distribution of answers to the question, ‘What are your current living circumstances?’ across respondents’ duration of stay in Finland. Living circumstances 1–6 months 7–11 months 12–18 months More than 18 months Total Registered at a reception centre and live in accommodation provided by the centre 82% 81% 39% 18% 44% Registered at a reception centre but live in private accommodation 14% 11% 6% 6% 8% Registered in the municipality of residence and live in a rented apartment 2% 7% 53% 74% 47% Other 2% 1% 2% 2% 2% Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% n 126 183 594 366 1288 Most of the respondents who live in reception centres or in accommodation provided by reception centres are studying Finnish or Swedish language (42%), 11% are studying something else (see Table 4), and only 16% work. Of respondents who are registered at a reception centre but live in privately arranged accommodation, 38% work, 20% study Finnish or Swedish language and 7% study in a broad sense. Of respondents who are registered in a municipality and live in their own rented apartment, most (37%) work, 33% study Finnish or Swedish and 14% study something else. It is therefore clear that most of those registered in a municipality and living in private housing are working, while most of those who are registered at a reception centre and live in accommodation provided by the centre study Finnish or Swedish language, i.e. are at an earlier stage of integration. 23 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Table 4.  The situation for Ukrainians living in a reception centre, clients of reception centres living in private accommodation, and those registered in their municipality of residence. Occupation Registered at a reception centre and live in accommodation provided by the centre Registered at a reception centre but live in private accommodation Registered in their municipality of residence and live in a rented apartment Other Total ’I work’ 16% 38% 37% 29% 28% ’I am studying’ 11% 7% 14% 11% 12% ’I study the language’ 42% 20% 33% 32% 36% ‘I am at home with my children’ 9% 6% 4% 7% 6% Retired 1% 4% 1% 0% 1% Unemployed, looking for a job 13% 17% 7% 7% 10% Entrepreneur 0% 1% 1% 0% 0% Other, what? 2% 4% 4% 11% 3% None of the above 6% 2% 0% 4% 3% Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 24 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 3.2 Reasons for migration to Finland The biggest reason for Ukrainians to move to Finland was undoubtedly the war in Ukraine that resulted from the Russian invasion: 63% of respondents chose this answer (Figure 6). This corresponds with the open-ended answers in the first survey, in which many respondents used the word ‘war’ to describe what was behind their decision to move. As this was a multiple-choice question and two responses were possible, the second most common response was Finland’s favourable reputation (e.g. stable economic situation, safety, overall reputation as the happiest country in the world). Some 28% responded that they had relatives and friends in Finland before moving, and about 14% appreciated the education system and study or work opportunities. 25 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Figure 6.  The distribution of answers to the question, ‘What was the biggest influence on your decision to come to Finland?’ As is already known, Ukrainians have a long history of working in Finland in agricultural and seasonal jobs. For instance, out of 16,500 seasonal work permits granted in 2021, 90% of them (more than 15,000) were granted to Ukrainian 2% 3% 3% 5% 5% 6% 6% 8% 28% 32% 63% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% Medical services ’I previously had a job in Finland’ Types of financial aid and support available Finland was a familiar country to me because I had visited Finland before Other Previously, I visited in Finland for seasonal work Work or study opportunities Good education system ’I have friends/relatives in Finland’ Finland's attractive reputation (stable economic situation, safety, the happiest country in the world) The situation related to the war in Ukraine, I wanted to escape to a safe country 26 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 citizens.15 About 6% of respondents in the 2023 survey had previously visited Finland for seasonal work or another type of job in Finland (3%). About 5% indicated that they had previously visited Finland for a reason other than work in Finland. The financial aid and support was a decisive factor for approximately 3% of respondents, and the medical services - approximately for 2% of respondents. The response ‘Other’ (5%) indicated that Ukrainians appreciate other factors: Finland allowed refugees to bring pets; Finland has had a similar history with Russia (Finns and Finland also suffered from Russian invasion and occupation, something that Ukrainians may relate to); the opportunity to obtain a grant for work or study and to remain in the country. Also, several respondents indicated that they had Finnish heritage and came to Finland as returnees. These responses highlight the appreciation that Ukrainians have for Finland’s overall security situation and reputation, as well as its education system and opportunities for work. The responses also indicate that Ukrainians have strong ties with Finland, with a work history or friends in Finland, or with relatives in the country and even Finnish heritage. Regarding their arrival from Ukraine, most Ukrainians came directly from Ukraine (81%), and only about 19% travelled from elsewhere (Figure 7). As many as 9% of the respondents came to Finland from Russia, where they had been living for at least three weeks. Travelling to European countries through Russia has been the only path for Ukrainians who lived in the territories occupied by Russia in 2022. When travelling through Russia, Ukrainians undergo ‘filtration’: a mandatory screening process that involves the checking of documents and the contents of phones (messages and social media profiles), the taking of fingerprints and photos, body searches, questioning, etc.16 In the autumn of 2023, Russia introduced additional restrictions on Ukrainians travelling to Russia.17 15 Alho, R., Eronen, E., Penttilä, A. and Välimäki, M., (2023) Ukrainians in Finland: Refugee reception, family well-being, and work life integration. E2 Research. 16 Kuzemska, L. (2023) War-displaced Ukrainian citizens in Russia. Forced Migration Review. Issue 72. Online publication: https://www.fmreview.org/sites/fmr/files/ FMRdownloads/en/ukraine/FMR72_English_2023_web.pdf. (Accessed 21 January 2024) 17 YLE (2023) Russia bans Ukrainians from entering via Finland. (Yle News, 16 October 2023) . Online publication: https://yle.fi/a/74-20055520. (Accessed 7 January 2024) https://www.fmreview.org/sites/fmr/files/FMRdownloads/en/ukraine/FMR72_English_2023_web.pdf https://www.fmreview.org/sites/fmr/files/FMRdownloads/en/ukraine/FMR72_English_2023_web.pdf https://yle.fi/a/74-20055520 27 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 In 2018, four years before the large-scale Russian aggression against Ukraine, 26% of all labour migration from Ukraine (mostly from its eastern regions) was into Russia.18 It is likely that some of the Ukrainians who travelled to Finland through Russia in 2022 and 2023 had work or family ties in Russia that caused them to stay there for at least three weeks. About 10% of respondents lived in another EU country or elsewhere for at least three weeks prior to arrival in Finland. Figure 7.  The distribution of answers to the question, ‘Did you arrive in Finland directly from Ukraine?’ 3.3 Temporary protection in other EU countries The mobility of persons with temporary protection status between Finland and other countries is rather low. This is significantly different from the situation in some other European countries, especially countries in the proximity of Ukraine (e.g. Poland and the Czech Republic) or which have, for decades, attracted large numbers of labour migrants every year (e.g. Germany and Italy). The Temporary Protection Directive allows for multiple subsequent registrations of persons with temporary protection status and creates opportunities for free movement within the EU for Ukrainians who escaped Russia’s war against Ukraine. Many Ukrainians 18 Libanova, Ella (2019) Labour migration from Ukraine: Key features, drivers and impact. Economics & Sociology 12, pp. 313–328. DOI: 10.14254/2071-789X.2019/12-1/19. 81% 10% 9% Yes, arrived in Finland directly from Ukraine No, before coming to Finland I lived in another EU country or elsewhere for at least 3 weeks No, before coming to Finland, I lived in Russia for at least 3 weeks 28 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 attempt to maintain contact with relatives both in Ukraine and scattered across the EU. Furthermore, the Directive facilitates socioeconomic integration and approximates to the creation of a single EU protection space.19 Figure 8.  The distribution of answers to the question, ‘Have you applied for temporary protection in another EU country?’ Most respondents to the survey, which was conducted in Finland, applied for temporary protection directly in Finland (94%). Only about 6% indicated that they had also applied elsewhere, prior to applying for temporary protection in Finland (Figure 8). These proportions may indicate that Ukrainians consider Finland to be a destination and not a transit country. This confirms similar observations made during the previous study in 2022. Only 6% of respondents (n=72) said that they had previously applied for temporary protection in another country. The map in Figure 9 is not fully representative of the entire population of persons with temporary protection status in Finland but serves to present the countries that 72 respondents mentioned. 19 Neidhardt, Alberto-Horst Neidhardt (2023) Beyond relocations and secondary movements: Enhancing intra-EU mobility for refugees. Policy study. 2023/1. Mercator Dialogue on Asylum and Migration (MEDAM), Kiel Institute for the World Economy. Online publication: https://www.ifw-kiel.de/publications/beyond-relocations- and-secondary-movements-enhancing-intra-eu-mobility-for-refugees-31315/. (Accessed 19 January 2024) 6% No, did not apply for temporary protection in another EU country Yes, applied for temporary protection in another EU country 94% https://www.ifw-kiel.de/publications/beyond-relocations-and-secondary-movements-enhancing-intra-eu-mobility-for-refugees-31315/ https://www.ifw-kiel.de/publications/beyond-relocations-and-secondary-movements-enhancing-intra-eu-mobility-for-refugees-31315/ 29 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Figure 9.  The distribution of answers to the question, ‘In which EU country did you previously apply for temporary protection?’ n=72 Among the 6% of respondents (72) who had applied for temporary protection elsewhere, applications were most commonly made in Poland (38%, or 26 respondents), Germany (12%, or eight respondents) and the Czech Republic (7%, or 5 respondents). Four respondents applied in Lithuania, and three respondents in each of Austria, Sweden and Belgium. Despite the proportion of respondents who applied for temporary protection in other countries being fairly low (just 6% of respondents), it is understandable that Poland had the highest number of applications. Poland was one of the 30 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 first humanitarian hubs for Ukrainians and has provided quick registration and unwavering support for those fleeing the war; 1.6 million Ukrainians applied for protection in Poland. Moreover, Poland borders Ukraine, so Ukrainians fleeing into Poland can more easily reach relatives or travel to Ukraine when the need arises. There is also a significant Ukrainian diaspora in Poland; many Ukrainians have Polish roots, and the Polish and Ukrainian languages share many similarities. In 2017, almost 40% of labour migrants from Ukraine were working in Poland.20 It is therefore unsurprising that some Ukrainians applied for temporary protection in Poland before relocating to Finland. 3.4 Integration in Finland In response to the question about their current occupation status or life situation in Finland (which asked respondents to select the most relevant answer from a list), many Ukrainians (36%) indicated that they are learning Finnish or Swedish language. Work was the second most chosen answer (28% of respondents), and 12% indicated they were studying more generally. About 11% of respondents were unemployed and looking for work (Figure 10). Fewer respondents were looking after children at home (6%) and about 1% were retired. Around 0.4% were entrepreneurs. Figure 10.  The distribution of answers to the question, ‘What is your current situation in Finland?’ (Respondents were asked to indicate their main occupation.) 20 Libanova, E. (2019) Labour migration from Ukraine: Key features, drivers, and impact. Economics & Sociology 12, pp. 313–328. DOI: 10.14254/2071-789X.2019/12-1/19. 36% 28% 12%11% 6% 3% 3% 1% 0% ’I study the language’ ’I work’ ’I am studying’ Unemployed, looking for a job ’I am at home with my children’ Other None of the above Retired Entrepreneur 31 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Of the 3% who chose the option ‘Other’, some were supporting themselves via a grant or scholarship, while others were taking care of an elderly parent, volunteering, or working and studying at the same time (without making a distinction between the two). It is clear that most of the Ukrainians who answered this survey – about 80% of respondents – are occupied in either studies or employment. The proportion of those who are currently retired, unemployed or need to remain at home to take care of kids or the elderly is less than 20%. Figure 11.  The distribution of answers to the question, ‘What would you like to do next in Finland?’ A higher proportion of the respondents (85%) want to work or study in the future: regarding their short-term plans, 70% would like to work and 15% to study. One in 10 wants to start their own business (Figure 11). About 5% (64 respondents) chose ‘Other’ and wrote open-ended answers such as ‘to live’, ‘all of the above’ or ‘I don’t know’. Of the 15% (n=180) of respondents who were interested in studying, the majority (61.7%) chose professional or vocational education leading to a specific profession (Figure 12). This may be explained by the prospect of commencing work as soon as the qualification is acquired, and it may be linked with answers to a previous question regarding respondents’ willingness to work (70%) or start a business 70% 15% 10% 5% Work Study Start own business Something else 32 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 (10%). Vocational training usually also takes less time than study for a university degree, lasting from several intensive months to a few years. A vocational diploma may enable the holder to do freelance work or find employment. About 37% of respondents chose to pursue their studies in a higher education institution such as a university. Figure 12.  The distribution of answers to the question, ‘Where would you like to continue studying?’ Most (56%) of the respondents who already have a Bachelor’s degree are considering pursuing vocational training. Those who have already completed higher education may now seek vocational training, especially in cases where the education attained in Ukraine is not sufficient for employment in Finland. Vocational training is also an attractive option when a respondent’s existing qualifications are not fully recognised in Finland and when it takes longer to notarise educational qualifications than it takes to complete vocational training. Most (87%) of the respondents who have children of school and preschool age place their children in the Finnish educational system (Figure 13). However, 13% of respondents who have children in Finland indicated that their children do not attend school in Finland. 62% 37% 1% At a vocational school In a higher education institution Other 33 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Figure 13.  The distribution of answers to the question, ‘Are your children studying in the education system in Finland?’ Among those parents whose children are in the Finnish education system, there is a larger proportion (53%) who have decided not to return to Ukraine; only 11% are planning to return to Ukraine after the war. In contrast, as many as 26% of parents of children of school age who are not attending Finnish schools are planning to return to Ukraine after the war. Both groups – parents with children of school age attending school in Finland and parents with children of school age not attending school in Finland – who make up 36% and 37% of respondents respectively, are uncertain about their plans, selecting the response ‘I still can’t answer’. 87% 13% Yes, children are studying Finland No 34 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Table 5.  Future plans regarding return to Ukraine of parents with school-age children: ‘Are you going to return to live in Ukraine?’ (Responses of ‘I have no children’ are excluded.) Future plans Have children of school age and they are studying in Finland Have children of school age and they are not studying in Finland Total (among respondents who have children of school age) ‘I will return within six months’ 0% 1% 0% ‘I will return in more than a year’ 1% 0% 1% ‘I will return when the war is over’ 11% 26% 13% ‘I am not going to return to Ukraine’ 53% 36% 50% ‘I still can’t answer’ 36% 37% 36% Total 100% 100% 100% n 692 102 794 The decision to return to Ukraine, as well as uncertainty about the future, could be further assessed as factors behind parents opting in or out of schooling their children in Finland (Table 5). 3.5 Overall satisfaction with life in Finland The question on overall satisfaction required an answer on a scale from 1 to 5, with the following possible levels of satisfaction: very satisfied; mostly satisfied; neither satisfied nor dissatisfied; mostly not satisfied; not at all satisfied. Of all respondents who answered this question (1,300 respondents), 92% chose ‘very satisfied’ or ‘mostly satisfied’ (Figure 14). This indicates that Ukrainians feel good about their life in Finland overall. About 4% of Ukrainians had a neutral position, being ‘neither satisfied nor dissatisfied’, and about 3% were ‘mostly not satisfied’. Some 1% – representing only seven people out of 1300 – were ‘not at all satisfied’. The satisfaction of Ukrainians with life in Finland is very high, with over 90% of respondents mostly or very satisfied. The 2022 study indicated that the majority were satisfied with the services provided by reception centres: 71% of respondents gave a positive evaluation of the work of instructors and social workers at reception 35 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 centres. It is likely that such a high level of satisfaction with services in Finland is reflected in the high level of satisfaction with living circumstances in Finland in 2023.21 In addition, open-ended answers in the 2022 study revealed a similar pattern, with most respondents providing positive feedback and expressing appreciation to the Finnish government. There were 1,638 answers to the open-ended question, ‘What message would you like to send to the Finnish authorities?’, and the main theme in the answers was appreciation of and gratitude to the Finnish government and society (1,289 mentions).22 Ukrainians’ high level of satisfaction was also evident in this follow-up study in 2023. Furthermore, this high satisfaction with life in Finland spans all ages and both genders. Figure 14.  Distribution of answers to the question, ‘How satisfied are you with your life in Finland?’ Interestingly, respondents who were living in private accommodation but had not yet registered in their municipality overall gave slightly less positive responses about their satisfaction with life in Finland: 72% were ‘mostly satisfied’ and 19% ‘very 21 Svynarenko, A., Koptsyukh , A. (2022) The situation of Ukrainians in Finland who fled the war: survey results. Ministry of the Interior. http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-324-562-4. 22 Svynarenko, A., Koptsyukh , A. (2022) The situation of Ukrainians in Finland who fled the war: survey results. Ministry of the Interior. http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-324-562-4. 57% 35% 4% 3% 1% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Mostly satisfied Very satisfied Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied Mostly not satisfied Not at all satisfied http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-324-562-4 http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-324-562-4 36 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 satisfied’. In comparison, of those who were registered in their municipality and lived in a rented apartment, 55% were ‘mostly satisfied’ and as many as 39% were ‘very satisfied’ (Table 6). Table 6.  Cross-tabulation of answers to the questions, ‘Are you satisfied with your life in Finland?’ and ‘What are your current living circumstances?’ Satisfaction with life in Finland Registered at a reception centre and live in accommodation provided by the centre Registered at a reception centre but live in private housing Registered in the municipality of residence and live in a rented apartment Other Very satisfied 34% 19% 39% 39% Mostly satisfied 56% 72% 55% 57% Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied 5% 3% 4% 4% Mostly not satisfied 4% 5% 3% 0% Not at all satisfied 1% 0% 0% 0% Total 100% 100% 100% 100% It is likely that the length of stay in Finland does not have a significant impact on the level of satisfaction with life in Finland. Those who more recently came to Finland were slightly more uncertain in their evaluation of their own situation: of those who had lived in Finland for less than a month or for 1–6 months, 11% and 7% respectively said that they were ‘neither satisfied nor dissatisfied’ (see Table 7). Over 92% of respondents who had lived in Finland for seven or more months were ‘mostly satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with their life in Finland. 37 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Table 7.  Cross-tabulation of answers to the questions, ‘Are you satisfied with your life in Finland?’ and ‘How long have you been living in Finland?’ Satisfaction with life in Finland Less than a month 1–6 months 7–11 months 12–18 months More than 18 months Very satisfied 37% 36% 36% 36% 33% Mostly satisfied 53% 52% 56% 56% 60% Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied 11% 7% 3% 4% 5% Mostly not satisfied 0% 2% 5% 4% 2% Not at all satisfied 0% 2% 0% 1% 0% Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% The employment situation had a moderate influence on respondents’ satisfaction with life in Finland. Only 5% of respondents who were unemployed and looking for a job, and 10% of those who answered ‘Other’ to the question about their current situation, were not satisfied with their life in Finland (Table 8). 38 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Table 8.  Cross-tabulation of answers to the questions, ‘Are you satisfied with your life in Finland?’ and ‘What is your current situation in Finland?’  Satisfaction with life in Finland ‘I work’ ‘I am studying’ ‘I study the language’ ‘I am at home with my children’ Retired Unemployed, looking for a job Entrepreneur Other Very satisfied 38% 47% 33% 31% 38% 23% 0% 34% Mostly satisfied 55% 48% 59% 66% 63% 64% 100% 49% Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied 4% 4% 4% 2% 0% 7% 0% 7% Mostly not satisfied 3% 1% 4% 1% 0% 3% 0% 7% Not at all satisfied 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 2% 0% 2% 39 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 4 Transition from reception services to municipalities 4.1 Applications for municipality of residence It is estimated that, by January 2024, the number of Ukrainians with temporary protection status in Finland was approximately 42,300. After living in Finland for one year, persons with temporary protection status have the right to apply for a municipality of residence and move to a municipality of their choice. By 9 January 2024, some 14,900 persons (35% of all those with temporary protection status) had moved from reception centres to municipalities. A total of 27,400 remained as clients of the reception system (65% of all those with temporary protection status, including those who had lived less than one year in Finland and were not eligible for registration in a municipality). Figure 15.  Distribution of answers to the question, ‘Have you submitted or are you planning to submit an application for registration in the municipality of residence when you receive the right to do so?’ Of survey respondents, 53% said that they have applied for registration in their municipality of residence. Almost one in three respondents (28%) was planning to apply for registration in a municipality of residence. As many as 10% have 53% 28% 17% 2% Yes, I have already applied No, but I plan to apply No, I haven't decided/ I can't say for sure No, I decided not to apply for permanent residency in the municipality 40 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 not decided and 7% were not sure about their application for a municipality of residence. It is likely that they are uncertain about their future situation and find it difficult to make a decision about applying for registration in a municipality (Figure 15). Only 2% (27 respondents) said that they were not planning to apply for a municipality of residence. This small group was the group that was dissatisfied (33%, comprising 26% ‘mostly not satisfied’ and 7% ‘not at all satisfied’) with life in Finland (Table 9). The levels of satisfaction with life in Finland were highest among those who applied for a municipality of residence (93% satisfied, comprising 38% ‘very satisfied’ and 55% ‘mostly satisfied’) and among those who were planning to apply (35% ‘very satisfied’ and 57% ‘mostly satisfied’). Table 9.  Cross-tabulation of answers to the question ‘Have you submitted or are you planning to submit an application for registration in a municipality of residence when you receive the right to do so?’ and level of satisfaction with life in Finland. Satisfaction with life in Finland ‘Yes, I have already applied’ ‘No, but I plan to apply’ ‘No, I haven’t decided yet’ ‘No, I decided not to apply’ ‘I can’t say for sure’ Total Very satisfied 38% 38% 21% 15% 29% 35% Mostly satisfied 55% 57% 66% 44% 56% 57% Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied 4% 3% % 7% 6% 5% Mostly not satisfied 2% 1% 5% 26% 8% 3% Not at all satisfied 0% 0% 0% 7% 1% 1% Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% n 687 358 133 27 89 1294 The majority of those who applied (89%) or were planning to apply for a municipality of residence (80%) were also planning to remain in the same municipality (Table 10). As highlighted previously, only 27 respondents in the entire sample (2% of the total number of respondents) decided not to apply for a municipality of residence. Five of those were planning to move to another EU country and 15 planned to continue living in their current place of residence. 41 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Table 10.  Cross-tabulation of answers to the questions, ‘Have you submitted or are you planning to submit an application for municipality of residence?’ and ‘What are your plans for the next six months?’ Future plans ‘Yes, I have already applied’ ‘No, but I plan to apply’ ‘No, I haven’t decided yet’ ‘No, I decided not to apply’ ‘I can’t say for sure’ Total ‘I intend to continue living in my current place of residence in Finland’ 89% 80% 71% 56% 64% 82% ‘I plan to move to another place of residence in Finland’ 7% 15% 8% 0% 9% 9% ‘I intend to return to Ukraine regardless of the security situation’ 0% 0% 0% 4% 1% 0% ‘I plan to go/move to another EU country’ 0% 0% 2% 19% 1% 1% ‘I plan to go/move outside the EU’ 0% 0% 0% 7% 0% 0% ‘I can’t give an answer’ 3% 5% 19% 15% 25% 7% Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% n 688 358 133 27 88 1294 It is evident from the answers to further questions that many of those who were not applying for a municipality of residence were planning to return to Ukraine. 42 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 4.2 First steps after transfer to the municipality of residence Requesting a municipality of residence is a voluntary process. Registration in a municipality opens access to a broad range of services arranged by the municipality and the wellbeing services county. After one year of living in Finland, persons who have received temporary protection status may be entitled to certain housing and employment benefits from Kela. Registration in a municipality of residence is not a prerequisite for all of these benefits. For example, after one year of stay in Finland persons of all income levels may be entitled to child benefit, even if they are not registered in a municipality of residence.23 The two most common steps taken by respondents after registration in a municipality of residence are finding accommodation and applying for housing allowance via Kela. Of the respondents who applied for the municipality of residence, 57% also found an apartment, and 56% of respondents applied for housing allowance (Figure 16). As many as 28% applied for social assistance from Kela and received employment support from the TE Office (employment agency). 23 Kela. Tietoa Ukrainan sodan vaikutuksista Kelan etuuksiin. Online publication: https:// www.kela.fi/ukraina-ukk#milloin-minulla-on-oikeus-kelan-etuuksiin. (Accessed 24 January 2024) https://www.kela.fi/ukraina-ukk#milloin-minulla-on-oikeus-kelan-etuuksiin https://www.kela.fi/ukraina-ukk#milloin-minulla-on-oikeus-kelan-etuuksiin 43 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Figure 16.  Distribution of answers to the question, ‘What did you do after registering in a municipality of residence?’ (Multiple responses possible.) Many of those who reported that they had found an apartment after registering in their municipality of residence were either working (37%) or involved in integration training (33% were studying Finnish or Swedish language) (see Table 11). It is to be expected that, among those who applied for various forms of financial support, many attend integration courses (language classes) or study otherwise. Nonetheless, it is important to note that a significant proportion of respondents who work also receive financial support: 17% of those who applied for Kela housing allowance said that they were working; 16% of those who had received employment support from the TE Office (employment agency) said they were working; and 8% of those who had applied for basic social assistance based on income said they were working. It is likely that the incomes of these working immigrants are low, and that this motivates them to apply for social assistance. 11% 19% 23% 24% 28% 56% 57% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Other If necessary, received social and medical services from the region to ensure the well-being of the population Left the refugee reception centre Received employment support from the TE Office (TE-toimisto) Submitted an application for social assistance for basic means of subsistence Submitted an application for Kela housing allowance ’I found an apartment that suits me’ 44 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Table 11.  Cross-tabulation of answers to the questions, ‘What did you do after registering in the municipality of residence?’ and ‘What is your current situation in Finland?’ Occupation ‘Found an apartment that suits me’ ‘Submitted an application for Kela housing allowance’ ‘Submitted an application for social assistance for basic means of subsistence’ ‘Received employment support from the TE Office’ ‘Left the refugee reception centre’ ‘Received social and medical services’ Other ’I work’ 37% 17% 8% 16% 30% 23% 38% ’I am studying’ 15% 19% 20% 17% 17% 24% 5% ’I study the language’ 33% 46% 53% 53% 39% 36% 34% ‘I am at home with my children’ 3% 4% 3% 3% 3% 4% 3% Retired 1% 1% 2% 0% 0% 0% 1% Unemployed, looking for a job 7% 8% 9% 8% 8% 8% 11% Entrepreneur 1% 1% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0% Other, what? 4% 4% 5% 4% 3% 5% 7% None of the above 0% 1% 1% 0% 0% 1% 1% Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% n 386 378 188 161 155 131 76 45 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Of those who applied for registration in a municipality of residence and responded to the mobility question (682 respondents in total), only 13% (90) of respondents said that they were planning to move to another city or region of Finland. The majority (87%, or 592) of respondents who have applied for a municipality of residence planned to stay in their current place of residence (Figure 17). Figure 17.  Distribution of answers to the question, ‘If you have applied for a municipality of residence, do you plan to stay in your current place of residence?’ (n=682) There was a greater proportion of working respondents (36%) among those who planned to stay in the same place of residence. Only 21% of those who intended to change their place of residence were working at the time of the survey. It may be worth collecting more data regarding the employment location of Ukrainians who decide to stay in their municipality of residence compared with those who are planning to move. For instance, some respondents may work in one municipality and live in another, which could influence their decision to relocate to the municipality where they are employed. This particular circumstance has not been explored in this survey. Another possibility is that some respondents may have short-term contracts or unstable working conditions in their current municipalities and are willing to explore employment opportunities elsewhere, for instance in a larger city. Further research is required to assess these possibilities. 87% 13% Plan to stay in the current place of residence Plan to move 46 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 In addition, of those who intended to change their place of residence, 17% said that they were unemployed, every third respondent (33%) was learning the language, and every fifth (21%) was studying. Figure 18 illustrates the occupations of respondents who decided to remain in their current municipality of residence and those who wanted to move. Figure 18.  The occupational composition of the set of respondents who plan to stay in the same place of residence and of the set of respondents who intend to change their place of residence. Many of the respondents who had applied for registration in a municipality of residence were also enrolled on integration courses or other training, and this may in turn have affected their immediate plans regarding place of residence. It is to be expected that participation in integration courses, and other educational 36% 13% 34% 4% 1% 7% 1% 4% 1% 21% 21% 33% 5% 1% 17% 0% 1% 1% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% Working Studying Learning the language At home with children Retired Unemployed Entrepreneur Other None of the above plan to stay in current place of residence plan to change place of residence 47 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 involvement, may lead to a decision not to move away from the current place of residence. Established social circles and other connections in the current municipality of residence may also be a reason for not moving elsewhere. For some respondents, a decision to move to another region could be prompted by their lack of success in finding employment in their current municipality of residence. Therefore, external factors affect change of municipality of residence, and for some Ukrainians, a decision to relocate would most likely be made over a long period. Approximately one third of respondents already live in the capital region. In addition, many of those who came to Finland in 2022–23 because of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine had prior connections through past seasonal work or other work in Finland.24 This factor may also keep some respondents in current areas of residence where they already have contacts or job prospects. In total, 89 respondents (13% of answers to the question about plans to change current municipality) said that they intended to change their municipality of residence. Almost all of them (85 respondents) named in their answer a specific municipality to which they would like to move. Twelve respondents (15%) named Helsinki as their preference, and of the rest, Turku was named by 10, Espoo by nine, Jyväskylä and Tampere each by seven, Lahti and Oulu each by five, Vantaa by four and Mäntsälä by three. Overall, most respondents named municipalities in the Uusimaa region (38%), in Southwest Finland (Varsinais-Suomi, 14%) and Pirkanmaa (8%). The municipalities of Helsinki, Turku, Espoo, Tampere and Jyväskylä are evidently the most popular hubs that attract Ukrainians with temporary protection status. Respondents consider a broad range of options for migrating within Finland. While the small number of responses is insufficient to be able to draw a comprehensive picture of the internal migration situation, the existing data reveals trends that could be studied in more detail by using other statistics and follow-up surveys. There are no significant differences between the age groups in their migration plans within Finland. The age group of 46–55 years old stands out, however, with 92% of respondents in this group intending to stay in the same municipality. 24 Svynarenko, A., Koptsyukh , A. (2022) The situation of Ukrainians in Finland who fled the war: survey results. Ministry of the Interior. Online publication: http://urn.fi/ URN:ISBN:978-952-324-562-4. http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-324-562-4 http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-324-562-4 48 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Slightly more male than female respondents are inclined to change their municipality of residence: 83% of male respondents, in comparison with 88% of female respondents, plan to stay in the same municipality. Similarly, the proportion of respondents who are willing to change municipality is greater among those who said that they were unemployed: 26% of unemployed respondents wanted to change municipality compared with 8% of employed respondents. The willingness to move may be tied to difficulty finding jobs in their current municipalities, and they may therefore have a greater desire to move elsewhere. Of those who study the language, or who work, are entrepreneurs or are engaged in other pursuits, only a few or none were planning to change municipality. 4.3 Reasons for not applying for registration in a municipality of residence Some 608 respondents (about 47% of all respondents in this survey) said that they did not apply for registration in their municipality of residence. This group was asked to give up to two reasons for not applying. Almost every third respondent (32%) said that they did not have the right to apply yet (Figure 19). As many as 29% of respondents said that they were not sure how long they will stay in Finland. Other reasons for not applying included the services provided by reception centres being sufficient (23% said that they receive from a reception centre all the services they need) and other motives (17%). Only 14% of respondents said that they did not have enough information or were afraid of losing their current benefits (9%). 49 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Figure 19.  Distribution of answers to the question, ‘Why have you not yet submitted or why are not going to submit an application for permanent residence in the municipality?’ Respondents could give up to two answers. Other answers to this question stated a broad variety of reasons for not applying for registration in a municipality, although the majority said that they had already applied. Another common reason was fear of losing access to services: ‘refusal to provide necessary medical services for a child with a disability’, for example. Several respondents mentioned lack of resources and energy: ‘I am a single mother and I do not have the necessary physical help to find housing and move. Also, I do not have the strength to solve bureaucratic issues. It takes a very long time and is nerve wracking. And many homeowners do not want to rent housing to Ukrainians with temporary protection status and benefits from Kela.’ 4% 9% 14% 17% 23% 29% 32% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% ’I plan to return to Ukraine in the near future’ ’I am concerned that I will lose my current support/cash assistance’ ’I do not have enough information about how to apply for residence in the municipality and how to transfer to the municipality’ Other reasons ’I receive the necessary services at the reception center’ ’I am not sure how long I can stay in Finland’ 'I do not yet have the right to apply for a municipality of residence' 50 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Other respondents referred to uncertainty regarding their future plans or their status in the country: ‘Due to the fact that the status of our stay is temporary, and if they are going to kick us out in a year, I don’t see the point of moving again, spending time and money on searching for housing, setting up an empty apartment, and living nervously for months during bureaucratic delays ... If Ukrainians, like other refugees, were given asylum, after which we could receive permanent residence status in Finland, then it would make sense to learn Finnish and move to a municipality.’ Some indicated that applying for a municipality of residence seems ‘impossible without knowledge of Finnish’. We can conclude that, aside from the need to meet legal requirements prior to applying (mentioned by 32% of respondents), a notable proportion of respondents (over 50%) experience levels of uncertainty: 29% regarding the length of their stay in Finland; 14% regarding the sufficiency of information needed in order to apply; 9% regarding the fear of losing support or benefits; and other reasons. Some of this uncertainty stems from a lack of understanding regarding the steps involved in the transition to municipalities (informational insufficiency) and some stems from lack of clarity about the consequences of the transition (exemplified in the fear of losing financial support and other benefits after registering for residence in a municipality). 4.4 Access to information about the municipality of residence The survey responses indicated the most common sources of information about registering in a municipality (Figure 20). Reception centres remain the primary source of information (mentioned by 53% of respondents). This highlights the importance of effective informational work by instructors and social workers. The second most common source of information is government websites (mentioned by 36% of respondents). Thanks to the availability of information in Ukrainian on government websites, Ukrainians with temporary protection status have reliable sources of official information. Social media groups are next in popularity. This is true both for the social media channels of Ukrainian groups and organisations (mentioned by 33% of respondents) and for the social media platforms of government organisations 51 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 (mentioned by 29% of respondents). Interestingly, the presence of government agencies on social media plays an important role in informing Ukrainians about transitioning to municipalities; almost 30% of Ukrainians indicated that official government social media accounts were useful sources. Friends and acquaintances as a source of information about municipal services occupied fifth place (28%). Printed leaflets, the Finnish media and local community centres contributed relatively little to awareness about municipal services. Figure 20.  Distribution of answers to the question, ‘From where did you get information about moving to a municipality of residence?’ Respondents could give multiple answers. 2% 8% 10% 13% 28% 29% 33% 36% 53% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Other From the Help Center or NGOs From Finnish media (Yle and other) From brochures published by government authorities From friends and acquaintances From the social media channels of government authorities From social media of Ukrainians From the websites of government authorities (for example, Migri, Kela) At the reception centre 52 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 The results of the present study indicate that government channels (such as official websites and official social media platforms) are the second most popular source of information among respondents, at least concerning municipality registration. This is a positive shift, as most Ukrainians now seem to receive information from official sources such as reception centres, government websites and government social media channels. The previous study, conducted in 2022, asked more broadly about the sources from which Ukrainians obtain information and respondents’ choice of official channels was not that popular. The informational needs of persons with temporary protection status are dominated by the need for information on employment (62%) and integration (51% would like more information about language courses). Some 45% of respondents would like more information about social and healthcare services, 38% need more information about how to arrange housing, and almost the same proportion need more information about Kela assistance (37%) or municipal benefits (37%). As many as 28% need more information about compulsory education (Figure 21). 53 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Figure 21.  The distribution of answers to the question, ‘What would you like to receive additional information about in connection with submitting an application for residence in the municipality?’ (Respondents could give multiple answers.) Some 3% (43 respondents) indicated a few other topics on which they would like information: for instance, concerning the situation of relatives (how to bring family to Finland and regroup, or how to take better care of people with chronic illnesses such as cancer). One response mentioned an elderly relative: ‘We moved (to Finland) together with our grandpa, who is 88 years old. I am worried about the criteria (or necessary conditions) for him to remain in the country (Finland) when temporary protection ends. Because we have nowhere to go back to.’ Several respondents also mentioned some complications with registering their cars in Finland and lack of information regarding this, or issues with complicated procedures. For instance, one respondent said: ‘Registration of a car with a Ukrainian plate. At the moment, with the existing procedure, it is very expensive and impossible for Ukrainians.’ 3% 28% 37% 37% 38% 45% 51% 62% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% Other Compulsory education Municipal benefits Financial assistance and benefits from Kela Housing arrangements Social and health service arrangements Opportunities to learn the language Employment 54 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 In the territories of Ukraine occupied by Russia, access to aid offered by the occupying authorities is conditional upon acquisition of Russian citizenship. International organisations have no direct access to the population in the occupied territories and to Ukrainian refugees residing in Russia.25 The Russian government is implementing a policy of forced naturalisation – forcing residents of the occupied areas of Ukraine to accept Russian citizenship as part of a programme of consolidating authority.26 One respondent mentioned the issue of forceful ‘passportisation’ of Ukrainians (forced naturalisation) by the Russian occupying authorities in occupied Ukrainian territories in the following way: ‘Many Ukrainians from occupied territories received Russian passports, for some reason or other. Will the attitude towards these people change? (For instance, would such a person be denied registration in a municipality?) Does Finland decline to recognise Russian passports that were issued in occupied territories of Ukraine from 2019 onwards (the year when the compulsory ‘passportisation’ started). 25 Kuzemska, Lidia (2023) War-displaced Ukrainian citizens in Russia. Forced Migration Review. Issue 72. Online publication: https://www.fmreview.org/sites/fmr/files/ FMRdownloads/en/ukraine/FMR72_English_2023_web.pdf. (Accessed 21 January 2024) 26 Khoshnood, K., Raymond, N., Howarth, K. et al. (2023) Forced Passportization in Russia- Occupied Areas of Ukraine. (Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale School of Public Health: New Haven, 2 August 2023) Online publication: https://hub.conflictobservatory.org/ portal/apps/sites/#/home/pages/passport-1. (Accessed 21 January 2024) https://www.fmreview.org/sites/fmr/files/FMRdownloads/en/ukraine/FMR72_English_2023_web.pdf https://www.fmreview.org/sites/fmr/files/FMRdownloads/en/ukraine/FMR72_English_2023_web.pdf https://hub.conflictobservatory.org/portal/apps/sites/#/home/pages/passport-1 https://hub.conflictobservatory.org/portal/apps/sites/#/home/pages/passport-1 55 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 5 Plans for the future and for potential return to Ukraine 5.1 Plans for the near future Of the 1,300 respondents who answered the question, ‘What are your plans for the next six months?’, only five persons (less than 1%) said that they plan to return to Ukraine within six months, regardless of the security situation in Ukraine. The majority (82%, or 1066 respondents) are planning to live in the same place as where they were living at the time of the survey (Figure 22). Mobility within Finland is rather low; only 10% said that they are planning to move to another region within Finland. About 1%, or 11 respondents, said that they were planning to move to another EU country. Figure 22.  The distribution of answers to the question, ‘What are your plans for the next six months?’ Hence around 92% of respondents, which is a subset that is representative of all Ukrainians who have fled to Finland, want to remain in Finland, at least in the near future. About 8% have other plans. This may indicate that Ukrainians are considering integrating, and potentially settling, in Finland in the long run. 82% 10% 7% 1% 0,4% 0,3% Intend to continue living at my current place of residence in Finland Plan to move to another place of residence in Finland Cannot answer Plan to move to another EU country Intend to return to Ukraine regardless of the security situation Plan to move outside the EU 56 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Only a few respondents stated their reasons for possibly moving from Finland to another country – too few to draw any general conclusion from the responses to the question, ‘If you are planning to leave Finland for another country, what factors are influencing your decision?’. Six respondents referred to difficulties in accessing medical services, five said that they had relatives living in another country, and another five mentioned language difficulties in communication. Previous studies have demonstrated that there are multiple factors affecting refugees’ decision to return to their country of origin. The situation often varies between national contexts (duration of conflict, outcome) and between specific groups of refugees.27 Overall, Ukrainians who fled the war consist of approximately four major groups: ‘classic refugees’, who are mostly middle-aged women with children, who adapt poorly abroad, and whose return depends on the safety situation in Ukraine; ‘quasi-labour migrants’, for whom external factors have little impact on their willingness to return because they left Ukraine due to the security situation and in search of better-paid work; ‘professionals’, who are most loyal to Ukraine, and, being trained specialists, whose immigration was often well planned and assisted by foreign inviting institutions; ‘people from a war zone’, who were directly affected by military action and whose willingness to return to Ukraine is most likely to be affected by the conditions (safety, housing, work, incentives).28 In comparison to the previous study, carried out in 2022 at the beginning of the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, in the autumn of 2023 there was a higher proportion of respondents who had made the decision not to return to Ukraine from Finland: from 27% in 2022 to 51% in 2023 (Figure 23). During that period, the proportion of persons who planned to return to Ukraine decreased from 26% in 2022 to 12% in 2023. 27 Harild, N., Christensen, A., and Zetter, R., (2015) Sustainable Refugee Return: Triggers, constraints, and lessons on addressing the development challenges of forced displacement. GPFD Issue Note Series, World Bank Group. Washington DC. Available online: https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/ec025dca- 77c1-5495-bdd4-00032a607b1e/content. (Accessed 14 December 2023) 28 Mykhailyshyna, D., Samoiliuk, M., Tomilina, M. (2023) Refugees from Ukraine: who are they, how many are there, and how to return them? Kyiv: The Centre for Economic Strategy. Available online: https://ces.org.ua/en/refugees-from-ukraine-final-report/. (Accessed 14 December 2023) https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/ec025dca-77c1-5495-bdd4-00032a607b1e/content https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/ec025dca-77c1-5495-bdd4-00032a607b1e/content https://ces.org.ua/en/refugees-from-ukraine-final-report/ 57 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Figure 23.  The distribution of answers to the question, ‘Are you planning to return to live in Ukraine?’ Data from surveys in 2022 and 2023. Male respondents are more certain about their future plans than female respondents, as only 27% of males could not answer this question, whereas 38% of females could not (Figure 24). In addition, male respondents more often said that they were not going to return to Ukraine (62% of males but 47% of females). 27% 51% 26% 12% 39% 35% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2022 2023 ’I can not say yet’ ’I will return in over a year’ ’I will return during the summer/during the next 2-3 months.’ ’I will return in six months’ ’I will return when the war ends’ ’I will not return to live in Ukraine’ 58 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Figure 24.  The distribution of answers to the question, ‘Are you planning to return to live in Ukraine?’, across two gender groups. In addition, based on their current occupation, only 9% of respondents who are currently working in Finland want to return to Ukraine when the war is over, while 52% of those who are working are not planning to return to live in Ukraine and 36% are still unsure. Having employment in the country may favour a decision to remain in Finland and not to return to Ukraine. As many as 64% of those who are studying do not plan to return to Ukraine, and 25% are still unsure. Only 9% indicated they want to return when the war is over. There is an association between involvement in a study programme and the decision not to return to Ukraine and hence to remain in Finland (the decision made by 64% of Ukrainians in our sample), as we also saw in conclusions to previous responses. 13% 11% 47% 62% 38% 27% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% female male ’I can not say yet’ ’I will return when the war is over’ ’I will return in next six months’ ’I am not going to return to live in Ukraine’ ’I will return in over a year’ ’I will return during the next 2-3 months’ 59 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Of those Ukrainians who are studying Finnish or Swedish language, only 9% are planning to return to Ukraine when the war is over, 53% are not planning to return to Ukraine and 37% are still unsure. Learning the language is highly connected with the desire to integrate, and hence, for many Ukrainians, the desire to remain in Finland. The result is slightly different for those at home with children: 29% are planning to return to Ukraine when the war is over, while quite a similar proportion, 32%, are not planning to return and 39% are still uncertain. For retirees, 31% would like to return to live in Ukraine when the war is over, 44% are not planning to return to live in Ukraine and 34% are still uncertain whether they will return or not. It is among entrepreneurs that the largest proportion do not want to return to Ukraine: 80% are not planning to return to live in Ukraine. In conclusion, most Ukrainians are not planning to return to live in Ukraine in the near future. Those who are considering returning plan to do so only when the war is over. Those who take care of children at home (29%), retirees (31%) and the unemployed (22%) are the most likely to return to Ukraine (Table 12). Those who are employed, study or attend language courses are less likely to return or are still uncertain and are likely to remain in Finland in the long run. 60 Publications of the Ministry of the Interior 2024:8 Table 12.  Cross-tabulation of answers to the question, ‘Are you planning to return to live in Ukraine?’ and occupation of respondents. Plans for return to Ukraine ’I work’ ’I am studying’ ’I study the language’ ’I am at home with my children’ Retired Unemployed, looking for a job Entrepreneur Other None of the above ‘I will return during the next 2–3 months’ 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 3% ‘I will return within six months’ 1% 1% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0% 2% 0% ‘I will return in more than a year’ 1% 1% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0% 2% 0% ‘I will return when the war is over’ 9% 9% 9% 29% 31% 22% 0% 10% 14% ‘I am not going to return to live in Ukraine’ 52% 64% 53% 32% 44% 42% 80% 44% 35% ’I still cannot answer’ 36% 25% 37% 39% 25% 34% 20% 42% 49% Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% n 356 159 467 82 16 135 5 41 37 61 Pub