UNHCR works to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge, having fled violence, persecution, war, or armed conflict.
The UN Refugee Agency has been working in Ukraine since 1994 and established a country office the following year. A host country agreement was signed in September 1996. Ukraine acceded to the 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees and the 1967 Protocol in 2002. A 2011 law regulates the treatment of refugees and other persons of concern in Ukraine.
Local Integration
Local integration is one of the most realistic durable solutions available for refugees in Ukraine. Key areas of UNHCR Ukraine to facilitate local integration are:
- Advocacy (to streamline the legislative framework and create a favourable protection environment to enable refugees’ socio-economic integration);
- Enterprise development (self-reliance grants for self-employment);
- Vocational training (assistance with skills training);
- Employment (assistance with job search and collaboration with the Employment Centres);
- Ukrainian language training;
- Education (limited support for tertiary education through DAFI scholarships). Next call for applications will be announced in August;
- Support to community initiatives.
In its efforts to promote local integration, UNHCR Ukraine cooperates with the state authorities and several line Ministries to ensure favourable conditions for local integration.
Through its partners, UNHCR conducts Ukrainian language and computer literacy courses for beginners. Counselling on their schedule and ongoing enrollment is provided by the partners in their respective locations.
UNHCR and its partners support Community Support Initiatives, which include a range of activities designed to mobilize and empower refugee communities. These initiatives build on the education, skills and capacities of affected populations and aims to strengthen their abilities to organised emergency response, protect themselves and identify solutions. If your community needs to learn certain skills in a particular topic that would enable you to become more self-reliant, UNHCR can support your community with these training and skills acquisition. For refugees and asylum seekers in particular, this could also include community-based activities in the area of mental-health and psychosocial support. A Community Support Initiative does not involve procurement of equipment/supplies or repair of premises. For more details, please address UNCHR partners in the respective locations or UNHCR at +38 (044) 288 97 10 on Wednesdays from 10:00 – 16:30.
Providing of vocational training programs
UNHCR provides assistance with vocational training and tools needed for further self-employment upon completion of the training to recognized refugees, persons granted complementary protection in Ukraine and asylum seekers in Ukraine who meet the criteria. The purpose of the training is further sustainable employment.
Providing of self-reliance grants programs
Self-reliance grant is a one-time assistance that can be provided to recognized refugees, persons granted complementary protection in Ukraine and asylum seekers in Ukraine who meet the criteria and have strong wish to become self-reliant through starting a small or medium scale business activity, develop agricultural activities in rural areas or undergo vocational training.
Please see the Catalogue of goods produced by refugees and IDPs here.
Resettlement
Resettlement is a transfer of refugees from the country in which they have applied for asylum (for example, Ukraine), to another country which ultimately accepts them for permanent settlement.
Resettlement is globally provided by UNHCR only to the most vulnerable refugees. Less than 1% of all refugees around the world are resettled.
UNHCR in Ukraine no longer receives a resettlement quota, due to the decreasing number of slots globally!
Resettlement is not a right, and there is no obligation on countries to accept refugees for resettlement. Whether a refugee may be resettled depends on:
- the policies of resettlement countries;
- admission criteria of resettlement countries;
- as well as the situation of the individual
In comparison with other refugees hosting countries, the population of refugees living in Ukraine is very small. Conditions for integration are also considered favorable in Ukraine in many respects by resettlement countries which, for this reason, do not open quotas (places) for submission by UNHCR in Ukraine.
Accordingly, the UNHCR in Ukraine decided to adapt its strategy and intensify efforts to support the integration of refugees in Ukraine and dedicate more resources for assistance to asylum-seekers and refugees in the area of self-reliance and local integration in Ukraine.
UNHCR Ukraine will continue to provide resettlement for a very small number of refugees in Ukraine. Resettlement will be used as a protection tool for persons facing serious risks that cannot be addressed in Ukraine, prioritizing women at risk. Information on resettlement and the qualification criteria is publicly available and replies to frequently asked questions can be accessed at the following address.
UNHCR will identify potential cases for resettlement consideration directly; identification does not depend on an application by potential candidates. UNHCR has full information related to the legal and social situation of the asylum-seekers and refugees, who are registered with us in Ukraine, and who receive legal and social assistance from the UNHCR partner organizations in Ukraine. If your case is selected for resettlement consideration, UNHCR will contact you.
Asylum-seekers and refugees can always address letters to UNHCR or its partners informing about their respective situation. The information provided will be duly considered, recorded and included in the physical file of each individual, and, depending on our assessment of your situation, communicated to whom deemed essential for necessary follow up in the respect of the UNHCR data protection policy. However, please note that UNHCR will not be able to reply to all letters requesting for resettlement.
Any person who offers resettlement services or travel documents in return for money or favors commits fraud and breaks the law. It is wrong to charge money for resettlement and it is wrong to ask for favors in return for resettlement. Assistance with resettlement is free and any information on persons offering support with resettlement in exchange of money or favor should be immediately communicated to the UNHCR using the UNHCR complaint mechanism.
For more details about the UNHCR complaint mechanism, please see here.
Voluntary repatriation
Voluntary repatriation is one of the durable solutions for refugees and asylum seekers offered by UNHCR. Asylum seekers and recognized refugees willing to return to their country of origin or place of habitual residence can contact the closest NGO/UNHCR Partner and apply for repatriation by filling out a Voluntary Repatriation Form (a list of UNHCR partners can be found here).
The process of voluntary repatriation may only be initiated after the form has been completed and submitted to UNHCR. When UNHCR receives the completed form, applicants will be contacted at the phone number indicated on the form and will receive further instructions regarding the repatriation request.
Signing the form does not oblige the applicant to return to the country of origin. The repatriation request may be withdrawn after consultation with UNHCR or for other reasons. No person will be repatriated against their will.
UNHCR provides the following types of assistance in regard to voluntary repatriation:
- Information regarding the situation in a specific country of origin/particular region so that an informed decision can be made about repatriation;
- Makes arrangements for a safe and dignified return to the country of origin;
- Liaises with the relevant embassy regarding obtaining travel documents, visas or entry permits, as necessary;
- Small voluntary repatriation grants;
- Facilitates other aspects related to the repatriation.
UNHCR reserves the right to decline voluntary repatriation requests if the situation in the country of origin or particular location, where the applicant intends to return, is assessed as highly dangerous. UNHCR will decline repatriation requests if the applicant intends to return to their country of origin only for a short visit, and not for permanent repatriation.
UNHCR provides assistance in voluntary repatriation to persons who fall within the following categories:
- Asylum seekers and their family members, registered with NGO/UNHCR partner/s, who are eligible for UNHCR assistance according to the assessment conducted by UNHCR partner/s,
- Recognized refugees and their family members.
Who can be resettled?
Persons who have:
- Applied for asylum in Ukraine, unless there are valid reasons not to do so, and are registered with a UNHCR partner organisation;
- Received a positive Refugee Status Determination (RSD) by UNHCR;
- Received advice that their cases fall under one or more of the resettlement categories.
- Ongoing cooperation processes with Ukrainian authorities and UNHCR (this includes UNHCR partners).
Please note that people who invalidate their asylum procedures, for example, by not appealing a negative decision in a timely manner without valid reasons (such as hospitalisation) will not be considered for resettlement.
- Not crossed or tried to cross the Ukrainian border illegally after the registration with UNHCR partners.
Please take note that recognized refugees and persons who were granted with a complementary protection status in Ukraine are only assessed for resettlement on an exceptional basis.