Belgium
Ability to Enter Country
Yes. Ukrainian citizens with a biometric passport can stay in Belgium without a visa for 90 days. This 90-day period may be extended up to a maximum of 180 days if the situation in Ukraine does not allow safe return after these 90 days.
Citizens of Ukraine who do not have a biometric passport but have received a visa to Belgium can also receive an extension up to a maximum of 180 days.
Temporary Protection Status in Belgium
Ukrainian nationals residing in Ukraine and their family members and third-country nationals or stateless persons enjoying temporary protection in Ukraine and their family members are eligible for temporary protection in Belgium, provided they resided in Ukraine or or before February 24 2022.
As of Monday, March 7, 2022, Ukrainian nationals can present themselves at the registration center in Brussels with their Ukrainian identity documents to apply for temporary protection.
After the registration is carried out, a temporary protection certificate will be issued if the conditions for granting temporary protection are met.
Ability to Reside in Country
The municipal administration will issue a residence permit type A, valid until March 4, 2023 (potentially renewable). A temporary residence document “annex 15” can be issued while awaiting the residence permit type A.
The guidelines for long stay status, greater than 90 days, to work or for family reunification, are the following.
- Long Stay Status (Greater than 90 days) | In principle Ukrainian citizens who wish to come to Belgium should normally obtain a visa D before traveling. It is now possible to apply for this visa at the Belgian Consulate General in Warsaw, Poland, since the Belgian Embassy’s counters in Kyiv are currently closed.
- Ukrainian citizens who have left Ukraine and are already in the Schengen area can apply for a residence permit at the municipal administration of their residence in Belgium. The conditions for granting this residence permit (studies, work, family reunification) are maintained, but if the applicant cannot present the usual official documents, the Immigration Office will look for alternatives.
- Ukrainian citizens who have left Ukraine and are in a country that is not part of the Schengen area can contact the Belgian embassy or consulate responsible for that country.
Ability to Obtain Work Authorization
Short stay status does not allow work in Belgium.
Third-country nationals with temporary protection status have unlimited access to the labour market as employees as soon as they hold the document “annex 15,” and they can work without the need to obtain a specific permit (work or single permit).
The temporary protection status does not allow self-employment in Belgium. A specific permit (professional card) will be required in order to legally be self-employed in Belgium. Under Belgian law, there is a professional card exemption for recognized refugees, but not for those with temporary protection status.
Resources
Ukraine Temporary Protection
Assistance in Belgium
The government announced they would reopen the embassy in Kyiv after being temporarily closed in March.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic approved the “Lex Ukraine,” a collection of three Acts, which outlines the conditions for granting temporary protection to foreigners (in particular citizens of Ukraine), confirms the right of these persons to freely enter the Czech labor market and ensures certain rights in the areas of social security, education, and health services.
The Lex Ukraine applies to foreigners with “temporary protection” under the EU Council Decision and those who were issued a visa for a stay of more than 90 days in connection with the conflict in Ukraine (i.e. a special long-term tolerance visa issued from February 24, 2022).
Subject to certain exceptions, Lex Ukraine is expected to apply for a limited period until 31 March 2023.
Granting of Temporary Protection
Temporary protection is granted to the following persons subject to the Council Decision:
- Ukrainian nationals residing in Ukraine before February 24, 2022, and their family members;
- stateless persons, and nationals of third countries other than Ukraine, who benefited from international protection or equivalent national protection in Ukraine before February 24, 2022, and their family members; and
- persons who prove that, as of February 24, 2022, they held a valid residence permit in the territory of Ukraine and their travel to a state of which they are nationals, or part of its territory, or in the case of a stateless person to the state or part of its territory of their last permanent residence before entering the territory of Ukraine is not possible due to the threat of real danger.
The application for TPD must be filed in person. Regional Centers for help and Assistance to Ukrainians in the Czech Republic can be found here.
Required Documents
Applicants for temporary protection must fill in the prescribed form either in paper or electronic form.
In addition to the completed form, an applicant for temporary protection is obliged to submit a travel identity document and a passport-format photograph upon request.
If temporary protection cannot be granted on the spot, the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic or the Police of the Czech Republic shall issue to the applicant for temporary protection a certificate of filing the application for temporary protection.
Ability to Obtain Work Authorization in Country
Refugees from Ukraine, who have obtained the Special Visa and/or temporary protection, will be considered for the purposes of Act No. 435/2004 Coll., the employment act, as foreigners with permanent residence. This means that these foreigners will not be required to obtain a work permit, blue card or employment card that foreigners would otherwise need to obtain in order to enter the labor market in the Czech Republic. Further, it will not be necessary to register a job for which foreigners with temporary protection or the Special Visa will be accepted at the Labor Office of the Czech Republic as a vacancy.
Employers will remain obliged to:
- inform the relevant regional branch of the Labor Office of the Czech Republic about accepting these foreigners into employment; and
- keep their records to the extent prescribed by the Employment Act.
Resources:
The Government of the Czech Republic announced that they will reopen its Consulate General in Lviv. However, the Consulate will not offer visa services for now.
Denmark
Ability to Enter Country
Yes.
To have a visa-free stay as a Ukrainian citizen, individuals must have a biometric passport issued after January 12, 2015.
Ability to Reside in Country
A bill on temporary residence permits for displaced persons from Ukraine (the Special Act) was put forward in the Danish Parliament on March 14, 2022. The bill is expected to be adopted on March 16 and in force by March 17, 2022.
A temporary residence permit under the Special Act section 1 is available to those who:
- are a Ukrainian citizen and have left Ukraine on February 24, 2022, or later;
- on February 24, 2022, were a recognized refugee in Ukraine and have left Ukraine on February 24, 2022, or later, or
- are a Ukrainian citizen or on February 24, 2022, were recognized as a refugee in Ukraine have resided or have had another residence permit in Denmark on February 24, 2022.
Eligible individuals can obtain a residence permit under the Special Act section 2 if they are a close family member of a person who has been granted a residence permit under the conditions in section 1.
Individuals must be in Denmark to apply for a residence permit under section 1. An application for a residence permit under section 2 may be submitted in Denmark or outside the country.
The Danish Immigration Service makes decisions on residence permits under the Special Act.
Even though the Special Act has not yet been passed, individuals can apply for a residence permit.
Ability to Obtain Work Authorization
Yes. Awaiting further guidance.
Resources:
Finland
Finland implemented TPD effective March 7, 2022.
Ability to Enter Country
Yes.
Finland will apply protection more extensively than what is defined in the EU-wide decision. Finland will also grant temporary protection to the following persons:
- Ukrainian citizens and their family members who fled Ukraine not long before February 24 and cannot return home due to the conflict. The Commission has urged the Member States to be flexible concerning these persons.
- Other Ukrainian citizens and their family members already living or have arrived in Finland.
- Third-country nationals who have resided legally (also on a short-term basis) in Ukraine and cannot return to their home countries. This group is an optional group for the Member States in the EU decision.
The Finnish Immigration Service is currently working on providing the guidelines.
Ability to Reside in Country and Obtain Work Authorization
Applications will be submitted to the Finnish Border Guard or police in the same way as regular asylum applications. The Finnish Immigration Service make the final decisions.
Ukrainian refugees applying for temporary protection have the right to work as soon as they submit their applications. They do not have to wait for a residence permit or a residence card to work.
France
Ability to Enter Country
Yes.
France has initiated humanitarian and immigration paths for Ukrainian nationals, third-country nationals with refugee status in Ukraine, third-country nationals with a permanent residence permit in Ukraine, as well as the family members of these nationals.
Possible Pathways
- If one has a biometric passport, they are in a regular situation for 90 days. During the 90 days, they have the possibility of asking the prefecture to extend their stay.
- If one does not have a biometric passport and they hold a short-stay visa that is about to expire, they can request an extension before the expiration date of their short-stay visa.
- If they are applying for “temporary protection” in accordance with the decision of the Council of the European Union of March 4, 2022 (and arrived in France from February 24, 2022), they can go to the prefecture to file their application.
Required Documents
- identity document or proof of identity as well as those of your family and the family record book if you have children;
- 4 identity photos (for adults only);
- If accommodated by a reception structure: any document or certificate certifying this accommodation;
- If hosted by an individual: certificate, identity documents, and EDF invoice or landline telephone number of the host.
Ability to Reside in Country
Yes. Under the Temporary Protection, Ukrainian nationals and persons who have made Ukraine their home and their family members displaced by the conflict will be granted a right to residence, access to housing, social assistance, medical assistance, and a right to legal guardianship for unaccompanied minors as well as access to education.
Ability to Obtain Work Authorization
Yes. Under the Temporary Protection, Ukrainian nationals and persons who have made Ukraine their home and their family members displaced by the conflict will be granted access to the labor market.
To obtain the right to work, they must first apply for the temporary protection.
Resources:
Germany
Ability to Enter Country
Yes.
- Ukrainian citizens can enter Germany without a visa if they have a biometric passport. They can stay in Germany for an initial period of 90 days. In Berlin, the right of residence beyond these 90 days generally applies until May 31, 2022.
- Those without a biometric passport or who are not a Ukrainian national need a Schengen visa. Individuals can apply for this at the German missions abroad in Ukraine’s neighboring countries, such as Poland.
Ukrainian refugees can be granted the status of war refugee throughout the EU. So it is not necessary to apply for asylum. However, registration is currently not possible yet in Berlin.
Ability to Reside in Country
The Temporary Protection Directive provides legal residence status until Ukrainians, and other eligible third-country nationals receive temporary residence permits under section 24 of the Residence Act. Ukrainians may apply for a temporary residence permit as of March 4, 2022.
Ukrainian nationals and other affected third-country nationals do not need to undergo the asylum procedure.
As war refugees, they have a right of residence for an initial period of one year and simplified access to the labor market.
As of April 29, the online multilingual service for electronic residence permit applications for Ukrainian refugees will now be available on the help portal Germany4Ukraine.de.
Ability to Obtain Work Authorization
Individuals in Berlin without a visa or with a Schengen visa, are not allowed to work. To be allowed to work in Germany and Berlin as a refugee, one needs a residence permit and permission from the Foreigners’ Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde). Those who register as war refugees will receive a residence permit for the purposes of temporary protection for an initial period of one year.
The Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community has urged the federal states when issuing temporary residence permits to note that employment is permitted, even if the permit holder does not yet have a concrete offer of employment.
Holders of residence permits for temporary protection in Germany are eligible for advice from the local government employment agencies and help in finding a job.
It is likely that the basic work permit and temporary residence permit will be issued at the same time, even without a specific job offer yet. Still, the exact procedure is still being clarified at the moment.
German Citizenship Options for Jewish Ukrainians
The Council of Jews in Germany announced that Ukrainian Jews would be eligible to apply for “Jewish Immigration” through a simplified process. The regular procedure requires the applicant to apply at the German embassy in their country of origin, in Kyiv, before departure. However, in this instance, the German government will permit Ukrainians with Jewish heritage to apply in Germany.
Applicants will have to prove their Jewish heritage.
Approved applicants will receive a settlement permit, which is a permanent residence title. They, then, can live and work anywhere in Germany.
The facilitated procedures will apply only to Jews from Ukraine and not those from other countries, including Russia and Belarus.
If Ukrainian Jews can prove their ancestors were stripped of their German nationality during the Nazi regime, they are eligible for German citizenship.
Resources:
Greece
Ability to Enter Country
Yes.
Ability to Reside in Country
Within 90 days of entry to Greece, Ukrainian nationals will receive 1-year temporary protection by the Asylum Service of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum.
Ability to Obtain Work Authorization
This protection will grant Ukrainians the right to reside in Greece, the right to access the labor market, and the healthcare system. Further details are to be announced.
Hungary
Ability to Enter Country
Yes.
Ability to Reside in Country
As of March 8, 2022, Ukrainian nationals are permitted to stay in Hungary until June 1, 2022. This may change at a later time.
Ability to Obtain Work Authorization
Awaiting further guidance from the authorities.
Hungary has moved its embassy back to the capital city of Ukraine, Kyiv.
Ireland
Ability to Enter Country
Yes. Visa requirements for Ukrainian citizens to enter Ireland have been waived as part of this emergency measure. However, non-EEA family members of Ukrainian citizens, if they are a visa-required national, will require a visa to travel to Ireland. Travelers without a visa will initially be given standard 90-day entry permission while appropriate support and protection measures are put in place.
TPD beneficiaries will be provided with a letter detailing their temporary protection in the State and the immigration permission being provided on arrival in the State at Dublin Airport. This permission letter will enable them to access all necessary support as soon as possible.
The Department of Justice is working urgently to provide permission letters to those who arrived in Ireland between February 24 and March 9.
Ability to Reside in Country
- Ukrainian nationals who need accommodations should convey this message to the Immigration Officer when they present at the border.
- The State will ensure access to suitable accommodation, or if necessary help to obtain housing. The State can provide accommodation on arrival, or afterward if needed. For information, please click here.
Ability to Obtain Work Authorization
Individuals granted Temporary Protection are entitled to seek employment or self-employment and vocational training education activities in Ireland. Please see www.gov.ie for information about employment, taxation, social insurance, and employment and self-employment-related supports.
Applying for Asylum
- There is no requirement for Ukrainian nationals to seek international protection (also known as asylum) to receive the support and protection of the Irish State. The EU Temporary Protection Directive provides a quicker and more streamlined alternative in these circumstances.
- While one can choose to apply for international protection, they cannot benefit from temporary protection at the same time.
- Those who apply for international protection will not be able to access employment until 6 months after making their application.
Resources:
Italy
The official decree regarding how Italy will implement the Temporary Protective has not been published yet, however, Ukrainian nationals who have or will apply for temporary protection will receive a receipt with which they can be hired while the permit is in process.
COVID-19 measures are in effect until March 31, 2022, and must be followed
Resources
Lithuania
Ability to Enter Country
Yes. Ukrainian citizens can come to Lithuania visa-free and stay 90 days. Ukrainian citizens must have a valid travel document. Ukrainian citizens holding biometric passports and whose national visas or temporary residence permits expire in the Republic of Lithuania can immediately start enjoying the 90-day visa-free regime upon the expiry of these documents.
Ability to Reside in Country
Based on humanitarian grounds, Ukrainians can receive a temporary residence permit or visa for one year without any bureaucracy declaration of a place of residence. Ukrainians should register at their earliest convenience at a branch of the Migration Dept. of Lithuania.
They can also receive a renewable temporary residence permit for 2 or 3 years (based on qualification) by applying along with an Employment Agreement to any branch of the Migration Dept. of Lithuania.
Ability to Obtain Work Authorization
Ukrainians do not need employment permits anymore for any work.
Resources:
Luxembourg
Specific procedures have been set up to welcome and assist people fleeing Ukraine, including those people that have already arrived in Luxembourg.
Ability to Enter Country
Yes. All displaced persons arriving in Luxembourg from Ukraine are requested to contact the Immigration Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.
With this information, the persons concerned will be invited to an appointment to apply for temporary protection. Applicants must attend in person with their identity documents.
A temporary protection certificate is issued if the conditions for granting temporary protection are met. This certificate allows its holder to remain in Luxembourg but does not confer a right of residence in accordance with the legislation on the entry and residence of foreigners.
Ability to Obtain Work Authorization in Country
Beneficiaries of temporary protection can freely access the Luxembourg labor market without the need for a specific permit, for as long as their temporary protection certificate is valid.
Resources
Netherlands
Ability to Enter the Country
Yes.
The Dutch Immigration Service (IND) has announced that Ukrainians can extend a short-stay visa or the free term up to 180 days. In addition, Ukrainian nationals who exceed the maximum terms will not experience any problems.
Temporary Protection Directive
On March 30, 2022, the Dutch government outlined the implementation of the Temporary Protection Directive and the conditions and procedures for legal residence and access to the labor market for people who have fled Ukraine.
In the Netherlands, TPD will be available to the following:
- Ukrainian nationals who:
- Resided in Ukraine on February 23, 2022;
- Fled Ukraine on or after November 27, 2021, due to increased tensions or who were on Union territory on or after November 27, 2021 (e.g., for vacation or work);
- Can prove that they already resided in the Netherlands in the period before November 27, 2021, for example, because of a previously submitted asylum application, on the basis of a regular residence permit or a residence permit that has been terminated.
- Stateless persons or third-country nationals with a nationality other than Ukrainian who arrived in the Netherlands before July 19:
- Received international protection or equivalent national protection in Ukraine on February 23, 2022;
- Had a valid Ukrainian residence permit (or other) on February 23, 2022.
- Family members of the above-mentioned categories
From July 19, third-country nationals who are not citizens of Ukraine but hold a Ukrainian residence permit will no longer be granted temporary protection. Individuals who received temporary protection before July 19 will maintain the right to protection until March 4, 2023.
Ability to Obtain Work Authorization
People who have fled Ukraine can be registered in the municipal records (BRP). They will receive a BSN number upon registration in the BRP. This number is required for their employment.
Employers must notify the labour inspectorate (UWV) at least two working days before the start date of the person who falls within the scope of the Directive.
Entrepreneurs from Ukraine may be able to apply for a regular residence permit as self-employed.
Asylum Applications
The State Secretary imposed a six-month embargo on decisions regarding asylum requests submitted by Ukrainian nationals. The legal set processing time for pending asylum applications and applications received during the embargo will be extended.
Since Ukrainians will receive a residence permit under the Directive 2001/55/EC, they do not have to apply for asylum to stay in the Netherlands for a more extended period. As a result, the rule that asylum seekers are not allowed to work for the first six months after arrival would likely not apply to them either.
Ukrainians who come to the Netherlands do not have to report to Ter Apel (the location for asylum registration in the Netherlands) to apply for asylum because they are allowed to stay here temporarily. Moreover, Ukrainians do not need to report their arrival in the Netherlands at all.
‘Regular’ immigration routes
Ukrainians can still apply for the Highly Skilled Migrant visa and other ‘regular’ residence permit types.
An entry visa (MVV) is needed for third-country nationals in regular residence permit application procedures. The MVV is a special visa that allows a person to enter the Netherlands long-term.
Ukrainians temporarily do not need to collect an MVV visa from the Dutch embassy if they meet the following conditions:
- A positive decision on the MVV visa application has been received;
- The Ukrainian national is in the Netherlands on a short-stay visa or in the visa-exempt term.
The IND has announced that soon it will be possible to collect residence permits at an IND desk for pending applications. Further, when a residence permit holder cannot file a timely application for extension or when documents cannot be obtained due to the circumstances in Ukraine, the IND has announced that it will take the personal situation into account.
Resources
The Netherlands Embassy in Lviv has started to offer its services, operating with a limited staff number. If the situation is considered safe, the embassy will also offer its services in Kyiv.
Poland
Ability to Enter the Country
Yes. Citizens of Ukraine, as well as their families who have left their homeland as a result of the Russian invasion, may stay in Poland legally for 18 months. This applies to persons who arrived in Poland directly from Ukraine after February 24, 2022 and want to stay in the country.
Ukrainian citizens who entered Poland without the required documents (biometric passport allowing visa-free stay) or who are not registered by the Border Guards (without a stamp in their passport or permission document from the Border Post) must visit the nearest municipality or town office within 60 days to register their entry and apply for a PESEL number. This will legalize their stay for 18 months.
From March 28, the post-arrival quarantine requirement is revoked.
Steps to Legally Stay in Poland
Individuals must apply for a PESEL personal number in the municipality of the city they came to or in the administration of the commune in which they are located. This must be done within 60 days from the date of entry into Poland.
Residency Permits
Individuals with a legal stay in Poland can apply for a temporary residence permit. After a temporary residence permit is issued, individuals have the right to reside in Poland for 3 years from the date specified in the decision. Such an application may be submitted no earlier than the end of the 9-month period from the date of legal entry into Poland, but no later than within 18 months from February 24, 2022 (no later than August 24, 2023).
Work Authorization
A citizen of Ukraine can start working in Poland without a work permit. The employer must only remember not to confirm this fact within 14 days on the site praca.gov.pl. All formalities related to your legal employment are borne by the employer.
Temporary Protection Directive
On March 26, 2022, the Government of Poland announced changes to the implementation of the Temporary Protection Directive and to whom the special bill will apply. In Poland, TPD will be available to the following:
- Persons fleeing the war in Ukraine who enter Poland directly AND indirectly. Foreigners who have already come to Poland via another country will now be able to start work on the basis of a simplified procedure, obtain a PESEL in a special procedure, receive social benefits or register a business;
- Persons who were temporarily outside Ukraine at the time of the outbreak of war (e.g., business trip, vacation);
- Ukrainians employed as drivers of international transport will be able to obtain visa stickers for their visas automatically extended by the special bill (extension until December 31, 2022).
- Persons who have resided legally in Ukraine on the basis of a valid permanent residence permit and are unable to return to their country of origin in safe conditions or have enjoyed protection in Ukraine (including family members of the latter).
Document Validity Extensions
The new guidance extends the validity of existing national visas and residence permits for Ukrainian citizens that are set to expire on or after February 24, 2022. They will be automatically extended until December 31, 2022. However, this is only to secure a stay in Poland. If somebody wants to travel, then they should renew the status.
Additionally, if a Ukrainian citizen entered Poland before February 24, 2022, with a biometrical passport – visa-free stay, or Schengen visa issued by Poland, or a visa or other residence documents issued by another Schengen country, their validity will be extended for 18 months.
Resources
Questions and Answers for Ukainians in Poland
Portugal
Ability to Enter the Country
The Government has streamlined the requirements for displaced Ukrainians who have fled the country due to the war to obtain temporary one-year protection, which can be extended by two six-month periods. It is no longer necessary for the person to prove they are in danger, and the proof of identity can be done in any way.
Ability to Reside in the Country
The Government is working together with the municipalities, civil society, private charities, and the Ukrainian community in Portugal to respond to housing needs.
Ability to Obtain Work Authorization
The persons under temporary protection will have immediate access to a taxpayer, social security, and national health service number, so they can have access at once to several services and the job market.
The Government is surveying job opportunities with companies via a working group of the Portuguese Institute for Employment and Vocational Training to match job opportunities with Ukrainian citizens’ job profiles.
Resources
Romania
Ability to Enter Country
Yes.
Ability to Reside in Country
Yes.
Ability to Obtain Work Authorization
Ukrainian nationals can be hired without a work visa or a work permit for up to 9 months.
Slovakia
Ukrainian citizens and their families can apply for temporary protection in Slovakia online. While an in-person appointment with Slovakia’s Border and Foreigner Police will still be necessary to finalize the applicant’s status, online completion of the form will speed up the overall process.
Spain
Under Spain’s implementation of the EU Temporary Protection Directive, benefits are available to Ukrainian nationals, legal residents in Ukraine, and Ukrainians who were in Spain in an irregular situation before the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022.
Ability to Enter Country
Yes. Ukrainians with a biometric passport do not need a visa to enter the Schengen area. Ukrainians without a biometric passport or travel documents can present their birth certificate or any document that proves their identity and any document that proves their residence in Ukraine before February 24, 2022.
Ability to Reside in Country
Yes.
Guidance for Ukrainians Seeking International Protection
- To obtain the “NOTIFICATION OF TEMPORARY APPLICATION STATUS” DOCUMENT
- Access the General Directorate of the Police web page
- On the “Temporary protection” box, click on “Notification of the application status”
- Insert the “Document No. (NIE)” and “Letter” in the “PROOF OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION FOR DISPLACED PERSONS’ TEMPORARY PROTECTION
- Insert the O.A.R. File No. in the “PROOF OF THE APPLICATION SUBMISSION FOR DISPLACED PERSONS’ TEMPORARY PROTECTION
- Then, follow the instructions given on the screen and press “Send data”
- Instructions for requesting an appointment to obtain a Foreigner’s Identity Card (TIE)
- Visit this page
- Select the province and press ACEPTAR
- Towards the bottom of the page, in the “TRÁMITES CUERPO NACIONAL DE POLICÍA”, select on the drop down menu “POLICÍA-TOMA DE HUELLAS (EXPEDICIÓN DE TARJETA) Y RENOVACION DE TARJETA DE LARGA DURACIÓN” and click on ACEPTAR.
- At the bottom of the page click “ENTRAR”
- On the next screen, fill in the requested data and click “ACEPTAR”
- The following screen will appear, and press “SOLICITAR CITA”
- Select the office where the appointment can be attended and click on “SIGUIENTE”
- Finally, the system will offer the available appointments
Ability to Obtain Work Authorization
Yes. TPD in Spain grants individual work authorization for up to one year, with the potential of extension.
Resources
Sweden
In Sweden, temporary protection applies to Ukrainian citizens who were a resident of Ukraine prior to February 24, 2022, individuals with a residence permit in Ukraine due to status as a refugee or person in need of subsidiary protection, or a family member of either group. On April 8, the government announced that TPD would also apply to those who traveled and stayed in Sweden between October 30, 2021, and February 23, 2022. This legislative amendment to the ordinance will enter into force on April 26, 2022.
Individuals who do not meet these requirements but still need protection in Sweden, can apply for asylum instead.
Ability to Enter the Country
Yes. Ukrainian citizens with biometric national passports or Schengen visas can stay in Sweden for 90 days and do not need to contact the Swedish Migration Agency following entry as long as the 90 days have not passed.
To be covered by the Temporary Protection Directive, one must
- have left Ukraine on or after February 24, 2022, and
- present a valid passport or other identity document, children under 18 are exempt
Ability to Reside in the Country
Yes. Under TPD, the residence permit is valid from the date it is granted the permit until March 4, 2023.
Once approved, individuals will receive a residence permit card (UT card) as proof of their residence permit with temporary protection. TPD approval also entitles individuals to housing and financial support from the Swedish Migration Agency.
Ability to Obtain Work Authorization
Yes. Individuals can look for work, but only after their residence permit has been granted.
How to Apply for TPD in Sweden
Individuals can apply online or by visiting the Swedish Migration Agency in person. Those who apply via the e-service and have their own housing arrangements, do not need to visit the Swedish Migration Agency until after the agency has made a decision.
More information about how and where to apply.
Resources
Switzerland - Non-EU Country
Switzerland has “S status,” a program comparable to the EU’s TPD for “people in need of protection,” which is similarly intended to facilitate an “unbureaucratic” and “speedy” process.
What does the “S” protection status mean, and what does it entail?
With the protection status S, the persons concerned receive a permit card S. This is limited to a maximum of one year but can be extended. After at least five years, persons in need of protection receive a B residence permit, which is limited in time until the temporary protection is lifted.
Those who receive protection status S may travel abroad and return to Switzerland without a travel permit. In addition, they may engage in gainful employment (including self-employment) without a waiting period.
How does one obtain S protection status in Switzerland?
Ideally, every person seeking protection should report directly to one of the Federal Asylum Centers. After the application is reviewed, usually 1 – 3 days, the person is assigned to a canton. And this canton decides whether it accommodates them itself or – in cooperation with the Swiss Refugee Agency SFH – organizes accommodation with private persons.
Gainful employment with protection status “S”
Persons with protection status “S” need a permit to take up gainful employment.
A corresponding application must be submitted by the employer to the cantonal labour market authority (in the canton of employment).
The following admission requirements apply:
- An employer’s application must be submitted
- The local and industry-standard wage and working conditions must be met and correspond to the qualifications and the job profile
The following documents and records must be submitted:
- Copy of the foreigner’s identity card (identity card “S”)
- Copy of passport
- Mutually signed employment contract
- Official form “Stellenantritt”
