In Germany, unemployment benefits for refugees from Ukraine reduce the incentive to find employment, Focus reported on May 6, citing the Institute for Labor Market and Professions Research.

As noted in the article, unemployed people receiving benefits accept 6% fewer vacancies than before their introduction.

In June 2023, the German government decided that refugees from Ukraine would receive unemployment benefits instead of the asylum seeker’s allowance. Thus, they are paid €502 instead of €410. Thus, one Ukrainian refugee receives €103 more per month than a refugee from any other country. There are now more than 1 million refugees from Ukraine in Germany.

According to the Federal Employment Agency, about 850 thousand of them are of working age. However, only about 215 thousand have jobs, which is less than 25%.

As noted by German Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP), the allowance for Ukrainian refugees may cost €5.5–6 billion in 2024. This amount would be significantly less if more Ukrainians worked.

According to opponents of benefits, the low employment of refugees is primarily due to social benefits. They allow them to turn down quick employment for low-paying jobs when there is no financial pressure. Critics are calling for tougher measures to force Ukrainians to work.

Friedrich Merz, leader of the German Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, has been calling for tougher measures since the beginning of the year. The results of a new study now support this claim, writes Focus. Every year, 30 thousand vacancies remain vacant.