Leaving Ukraine
You didn't choose to leave. The war chose for you. This page is about what comes next — where you can build stability while your country rebuilds.
The Ukrainian situation is fundamentally different from the Russian or Belarusian one. You have visa-free Schengen access. You have EU Temporary Protection in every member state. Banks don't reject your passport. The EU's doors are open in a way they are not for anyone else on this site.
The hard parts are different too. Martial law restricts men from leaving. Currency controls make moving money complicated. Your pension might transfer under bilateral agreements — or it might not, depending on the destination. And the emotional weight of relocating from a country at war is something no data table can capture.
Below: the countries where Ukrainians have actually settled, the legal frameworks that protect you, and the practical data — cost of living, residency timelines, language barriers — for each destination.
EU Temporary Protection
The EU Temporary Protection Directive (Council Decision 2022/382) grants Ukrainian citizens the right to reside, work, access healthcare, and enrol children in schools across all EU member states. Extended through March 2026, with further extensions expected.
What it gives you
- Right to reside in any EU member state
- Work authorization — no separate permit needed
- Access to national healthcare systems
- Children can attend public schools
- Social assistance on the same terms as nationals
What it doesn't
- Not a path to permanent residence (yet — some countries transitioning)
- Registered in one country — can't claim in multiple
- Social assistance varies by host country
- Doesn't resolve pension portability
Where Ukrainians have settled
Poland took the most. Germany offers the best long-term path. The numbers speak.
| Country | Path to PR | Citizenship | Language | Avg rent/mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇩🇪 Germany | 5 yr | 5 yr | German | $1,296 |
| 🇨🇿 Czech Republic | 5 yr | 10 yr | Czech | $1,228 |
| 🇵🇹 Portugal | 5 yr | 5 yr | Portuguese | $1,358 |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | 3 yr | 3 yr | English | $1,631 |
| 🇵 🇱 Poland | 5 yr | 8 yr | Polish | $1,100 |
| 🇫🇷 France | 5 yr | 5 yr | French | $1,110 |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 5 yr | 5 yr | Dutch | $1,985 |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | 5 yr | 10 yr | Spanish | $1,355 |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | 5 yr | 10 yr | Italian | $1,384 |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 5 yr | 6 yr | English | $2,054 |
Destination profiles
What each country actually offers — beyond the Temporary Protection paper
Germany is the second-largest host. The integration infrastructure is serious — language courses (Integrationskurs), job centres, social housing programs. The Blue Card is an excellent long-term path for skilled workers. Berlin has a large Ukrainian community. Pension agreement since 2023 means your credits transfer. Five years to citizenship.
Czech Republic offered Temporary Protection quickly and has a growing Ukrainian tech community. Prague is cheaper than Berlin or Amsterdam and has a strong job market. Czech is another Slavic language, though less similar to Ukrainian than Polish. Path to citizenship: 10 years.
Portugal is similar to Spain but smaller, cheaper, and with faster citizenship (5 years). Lisbon and Porto have small but growing Ukrainian communities. Language is the main barrier — Portuguese is not easy from a Ukrainian starting point.
Canada created the CUAET (Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel) program. Three years of open work permit, path to permanent residence. Toronto and Vancouver have Ukrainian communities. Far from home but a strong settler destination.
Poland absorbed more Ukrainian refugees than any other country — over 1.5 million by mid-2022. Warsaw and Krakow have the largest communities. Polish is the closest major language to Ukrainian, which makes integration faster than anywhere else. Temporary Protection gives you work rights immediately. The long-term path: 5 years to permanent residence, 8 to citizenship.
France offered Temporary Protection and has good integration infrastructure. Paris is expensive but other cities (Lyon, Toulouse, Nantes) are more reasonable. French language acquisition is a serious investment. Five years to citizenship.
The Netherlands has strong employment in tech and logistics. Amsterdam is expensive but Eindhoven, Rotterdam, and Utrecht are more accessible. Dutch is hard to learn but everyone speaks English. Five years to citizenship.
Spain has warm weather, low cost of living outside Madrid and Barcelona, and a surprisingly large Ukrainian community in the south (Alicante, Malaga). The language barrier is real — Spanish shares nothing with Ukrainian — but the quality of life is high. Digital Nomad Visa works for remote workers.
Italy has an established Ukrainian community that predates 2022 — many Ukrainians worked in domestic care. Rome, Milan, and Naples. Cost of living is lower than northern Europe. Ten years to citizenship is a long wait.
The UK's Homes for Ukraine scheme brought tens of thousands. No Schengen access but strong employment market and English-speaking. Six years to citizenship. The NHS and work rights are real benefits.
Moving money from Ukraine
Wartime currency controls limit UAH transfers abroad. The National Bank of Ukraine adjusts these limits regularly — what's true today may change next month.
What works
- Card payments abroad (Visa/Mastercard from Ukrainian banks)
- Limited SWIFT transfers (check current NBU limits)
- Wise — accepts Ukrainian hryvnia accounts
- Pension transfers under bilateral agreements
Current constraints
- Monthly transfer limits set by NBU (changes frequently)
- No cash foreign currency purchases above NBU threshold
- Crypto transfers technically restricted
- Property sale proceeds may be partially locked
Martial law and travel restrictions
Men aged 18–60 cannot leave Ukraine under martial law, with limited exceptions. This is the single biggest constraint on Ukrainian family relocation and it shapes everything — which family members go first, how custody works across borders, and whether the family can reunite.
Current exceptions
- Medical reasons with official documentation
- Single fathers or guardians of children
- Fathers of 3+ children under 18
- Disabled individuals (Group I–III)
- Certain categories of essential workers
- Students enrolled abroad before Feb 24, 2022
Exceptions change. Check the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine for the current list before making plans.
Head-to-head
The comparisons Ukrainian emigrants actually search for
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Take the quiz →❓ Leaving Ukraine — Common Questions
Is EU Temporary Protection still active in 2026?▾
Yes. The EU Temporary Protection Directive for Ukrainian citizens has been extended through March 2026. It grants the right to reside, work, and access healthcare and education in any EU member state. Most countries are expected to extend it further or transition to longer-term residence frameworks. Check your host country's implementation — some have already started issuing standard residence permits to replace temporary protection certificates.
Can I travel freely in the EU with a Ukrainian passport?▾
Yes. Ukraine has had visa-free Schengen access since 2017 for stays up to 90 days in any 180-day period. With EU Temporary Protection, you can reside long-term in your registered host country and travel throughout Schengen. This is a fundamentally different situation from Russian or Belarusian passport holders.
What happens to my Ukrainian pension abroad?▾
Ukraine has bilateral social security agreements with Germany (since 2023), Turkey (since 2022), and several other countries. Pension credits can transfer under these agreements. For countries without agreements, your Ukrainian pension can still be paid to a Ukrainian bank account, though wartime currency controls add friction to transfers.
Can men leave Ukraine in 2026?▾
Martial law remains in effect. Men aged 18–60 face travel restrictions. Exceptions exist for medical reasons, single fathers, fathers of 3+ children, and certain other categories. This is a real constraint that shapes which family members can relocate. Check the current mobilization status before making plans.