Sanctuary for refugees from Ukraine likely to remain necessary for a considerable time

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Netherlands has been providing sanctuary to over 80,000 refugees from Ukraine. According to a scenario report by the Clingendael Institute commissioned by the Ministry of Justice and Security, the war in Ukraine will continue for quite some time. Therefore, the Netherlands will need to be prepared for the continuing arrival of considerable numbers of refugees from Ukraine. In addition, as it is uncertain how the war will develop, only a relatively small part of the refugees will be able to return in the short term. This scenario, along with the European Commission’s announcement on 14 October 2022 that the temporary protection under the Temporary Protection Directive will be extended by one year, means that the Netherlands will likely need to continue to provide sanctuary to refugees from Ukraine for a considerable time.

This will require making policy decisions for the mid to long term that take into account this prolonged stay of refugees. In addition, it is important to give refugees from Ukraine and Dutch society clarity about the long-term policy regarding refugees from Ukraine. This is also underlined by a recent report from the Advisory Committee on Migration Affairs (ACVZ) on the temporary protection of refugees from Ukraine in the longer term. Based on the aforementioned reports, the government has decided that steps need to be taken to encourage more self-reliance and participation in Dutch society among refugees from Ukraine.