New Work Permit Policy for Ukrainians Without Temporary Protection Now in Effect in Lithuania

New Work Permit Policy for Ukrainians Without Temporary Protection Now in Effect in Lithuania

Key Takeaways

1. Starting September 1, 2024, Ukrainians without temporary protection in Lithuania must have a residence permit to work; previous exemptions have ended for most, except for highly skilled workers.
2. Ukrainian refugees under the EU’s temporary protection scheme can still begin working immediately after applying for a residence permit.
3. Since February 2022, nearly 30,000 Ukrainians have secured employment in Lithuania.

Lithuania has implemented a new policy requiring Ukrainians without temporary protection to obtain a residence permit in order to work. This policy took effect on September 1, 2024, ending most previous exemptions.

Before this change, Ukrainians who were not eligible for temporary protection but could not return to Ukraine were exempt from needing a work permit under specific conditions. This included those with visa-free travel, valid Schengen visas, national visas issued in exceptional cases, or those who had applied for residence permits for work, highly skilled work, or humanitarian reasons.

Under the new policy, these exemptions have ended for most Ukrainians, except for those considered highly skilled workers. Foreign nationals without temporary protection who are unable to return to Ukraine and have applied for a temporary residence permit for work or humanitarian reasons will now be allowed to work only after they receive their residence permit.

For Ukrainian refugees under the EU’s temporary protection mechanism, the new rules do not apply. These individuals can still start working immediately upon applying for a temporary residence permit.

As of August, Lithuania has registered 76,300 Ukrainians, with 44,300 granted temporary protection. Since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, nearly 30,000 Ukrainians have found work in Lithuania. A survey by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) shows that 70% of Ukrainian refugees in Lithuania are employed or actively participating in the labor force, with participation rates of 73% for men and 70% for women.

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