The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine has sparked a refugee crisis across Europe that threatens the largest humanitarian disaster since World War II. Nevertheless, the worst outcomes can still be avoided with sound work policies that teach companies the best practices for hiring Ukrainians. Fair work opportunities turn refugees into good neighbors.
Work permits, an ethical housing policy, and private-public partnerships can be used to avoid the worst humanitarian outcomes. Here's how policy and humanity are coming together in Canada, Germany, and elsewhere to ensure refugees are an asset to society, not a burden.
Refugees Need Opportunity, Not Charity
The United Nations notes that well over 5 million Ukrainians have become refugees since February, with experts now predicting that the conflict will generate approximately 8.3 million refugees by the end of this year. Torn from their homes by the terrors of war, these refugees are on the move across Europe and over the Atlantic to find new opportunities in places like Germany, Poland, and Canada. Figuring out how to hire Ukrainains is now a top priority for many businesses in these countries facing a long-standing worker shortage.
The European community needs a sensible work policy to ensure these civilians receive the help they desperately deserve. While some opponents of humanitarian resettlement falsely argue that refugees are a burden on society, business owners and government officials alike increasingly recognize the immense value in helping refugees get back on their own feet.
"Refugees who are given adequate housing and fair work opportunities always give back to the societies that take them in," notes global relocation expert and Joblio CEO ჯონ პურიჟანსკი. "With sensible policies and clear integration goals, any society can avert humanitarian disaster and bolster up its own ailing economy."
The best practices for hiring Ukrainian refugees are based on generosity and understanding. In Germany and elsewhere in the EU, refugees entering the Schengen area can stay for up to 90 days without work and even longer once employment is secured. The Council of the EU and other authorities are already hard at work extending these policies to ensure Ukrainians can stay for longer. Once work is secured, Ukrainians begin giving back to the king societies that welcomed them in during a time of need.
Providing Fair Work Produces The Best Outcomes
The only surefire way to ensure refugees don't fall into economic insecurity is by providing them with fair work opportunities. Even before the recent crisis, Germany and Poland were competing with one another over valuable Ukrainian migrant labourers who could fill vacant positions in a wide range of economic sectors. One survey by the EWL Group discovered that as many as 63% of displaced Ukrainians seek Polish work, with 30% indicating they'd stay in the country for a long time if they had adequate employment.
According to the EWL Group, the supermajority of these respondents were Ukrainian women, and most of them were college or university graduates. Polish companies that hire and resettle Ukrainains in need of a helping hand will benefit in the long run by tapping into this talented pool of educated employees. Ukrainians are already showcasing the potential of Ukrainian labour in the Polish and German economies.
An independent Polish news outlet reports that over 30,000 Ukrainians have already found good jobs in Poland. They're especially needed in the health sector, but can also find use for their talents in the education, hospitality, and caregiving sectors. The best practices for hiring Ukrainians are quickly being adopted by smart companies with an eye on the future.
"Once they're given a place to live, assistance with childcare, and fair wages for honest work, Ukrainian refugees can become an unparalleled engine of economic growth," says ჯონ პურიჟანსკი. "By training Ukrainian migrants today, countries like Poland and Germany will reap great economic and humanitarian rewards for generations to come."
We Need More Fast-Tracks To Employment
No one country can solve this crisis alone. We need more fast-tracks to employment across the European Union and North America to ensure no Ukrainians are left behind. Across the Atlantic, Canada offers another example of how to make the best of this crisis with work permits and housing opportunities instead of restrictive policies. The best practices for hiring Ukrainains in Canada should be adopted everywhere.
That requires government investment in the streamlining of the work-visa permit process. To do that, governments can rely on expert private partners like Joblio, a global relocation platform that ensures migrants find safe and sustainable work abroad. Founded by a refugee turned successful entrepreneur, Joblio understands the plight of refugees and has already launched a program to help businesses hire Ukrainian women and manage the training of Ukrainian migrants.
This program is already yielding results for Ukrainians and Canadians alike thanks to Joblio's new pilot program with a consortium of 12 Canadian companies. The first Ukrainian workers will be arriving one June 1st, ready and eager to fill vacant positions across Canada.
Canada isn't alone, either; the United States has launched the "Uniting for Ukraine" initiative that allows Ukrainian migrant labourers to stay temporarily in a two-year period of parole with the help of an American sponsor. Joblio has already secured 2,500 sponsorship opportunities for Ukrainians yearning to come to the United States so that they can contribute to its economy and their own upward mobility."
Hardworking Ukrainians are ready to give back to Poland, Germany, Canada, and the United States," says global relocation expert and Joblio CEO ჯონ პურიჟანსკი. "Companies interested in learning how to hire Ukrainians can contact Joblio at no cost to avert a humanitarian disaster and fill worker shortages."
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