In the aftermath of the ongoing Russian aggression and the war in Ukraine, more than 200,000 Ukrainian refugees have departed from the Czech Republic, according to Vice Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Vít Rakušan. The influx of refugees seeking temporary protection in the Czech Republic has persisted since the February aggression last year. As of October 1st this year, 561,605 Ukrainian refugees have applied for temporary protection in the country.

Rakušan clarified that by the same date, 358,740 individuals had physically registered themselves for temporary protection. Consequently, over 200,000 have already left the Czech Republic, either returning to Ukraine or seeking refuge in other EU member states. These figures challenge assertions made by some politicians and segments of the public that Czech authorities lack knowledge about the number and identities of Ukrainians in the country.

“All of these nearly 360,000 individuals have reported to the Department of Asylum and Migration Policy to obtain a visa label and provide the necessary data,” Minister Rakušan stated.

According to the Minister, individuals who failed to personally register with the Department of Asylum and Migration Policy by the end of September will lose their temporary protection status in the Czech Republic. Approximately 14,500 fewer people physically reported themselves compared to the online registration for extending temporary protection, which took place until the end of March.

“These are refugees who, according to the Department of Asylum and Migration Policy, have mostly returned to Ukraine,” emphasized the Minister. “Some may have taken advantage of our location in the heart of the Schengen Area and traveled to other member states,” he added.

Out of the approximately 359,000 registered Ukrainians, Minister Rakušan estimated that around 115,000 are legally employed in the Czech Republic. This figure is significant, considering that a substantial portion of the registered individuals comprises children, the elderly, and women responsible for childcare who are unable to work. The Vice Prime Minister believes that Ukrainian refugees could help alleviate the long-term labor shortage in the country.

However, the Minister acknowledged the language barrier among Ukrainian children, stating that the state had underestimated the need for language education. To address this issue, the government is collaborating with the Minister of Education to allocate funds for highly qualified language courses in the coming year. In contrast, countries like Germany have enrolled young Ukrainian refugees in intensive language courses before integrating them into regular schools.

Article by Prague Forum