Over 1,200 Ukrainians have applied for international protection in Poland since beginning of 2024
Photo: TSN
Ukrainians have become more active in asking for international protection in Poland. In the first quarter of 2024, 1.2 thousand Ukrainian citizens submitted a corresponding application.
Ukrainians comprise the largest group of asylum seekers in Poland, according to yavp.pl.
In the first quarter of 2024, the Department of Foreign Affairs approved granting international protection to 1,200 foreigners in Poland. Most citizens of the following countries:
- Belarus – 670 people;
- Ukraine – 410 people;
- Russia – 50 people.
According to data from the Department of Foreign Affairs, in January-March 2024, the number of applications for international protection in Poland increased by approximately 30% compared to the same period in 2023.
Nearly 3,000 individuals applied for asylum in total:
- The most significant number of applicants came from Ukraine, with 1,200 people.
- A slightly lower number came from Belarus (1,000 people) and Russia (300 people).
" Foreigners receive international protection (either as refugees or through additional safeguards) if they are at risk of persecution or danger to their lives or health in their country of origin," the department's website explains.
Applications for international protection are usually considered in 6 months. In the first quarter of 2024, the average time for examining the grounds for obtaining asylum was approximately 4.5 months.
When applying for refugee status, foreigners have the right to:
- social support (including accommodation, food, medical care) from the Department for Foreigners,
- attend courses that include the study of the Polish language.
Asylum seekers can:
- stay in refugee centers,
- live independently outside such centers.
For reference:
International protection is not the same as the temporary protection granted in connection with the war in Ukraine. Temporary protection allows individuals to live and work in a country and access education and healthcare. This type of protection has been extended to Ukrainians in the EU until 2025.
It is worth adding that refugees from Ukraine who do not have Ukrainian citizenship must leave the Netherlands by April 1 or ask for international asylum since the period of temporary protection for them has already expired in this country.
It should be noted that the Swedish government submitted a proposal to make life easier for Ukrainian refugees by offering the possibility to register and obtain social insurance numbers faster.
On February 28, Lithuania decided to allocate an additional 326,000 euros to support refugees from Ukraine, which will be transferred through the Ministry of Social Security, Labor, and Health to Ukrainians living in the country.
In addition, the Ministry of Education, Science, and Sports of Lithuania proposed to extend the period for a year, during which Ukrainian refugees who have found work here will not need to speak Lithuanian.
Previously, Rubryka reported that the Norwegian government has decided to limit financial aid for displaced people from Ukraine again to prevent overburdening municipalities and maintain a high standard of services and benefits.
Additionally, in several European nations, Ukrainians will receive a payment of up to 5,300 euros if they return home early.
It is worth adding that the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has supported 6.5 million people in Ukraine and 11 neighboring countries in the two years since the escalation of the war in Ukraine, providing critical and vital assistance to those who need it most.
As of the end of October 2023, 4.24 million refugees from Ukraine received temporary asylum in the European Union. Almost half of Ukrainian refugees are women (46.4%), one-third are children, and one-fifth are adult men (20.2%).
