Surge in Temporary Protection for Ukrainian Refugees in the EU

In September 2025, European Union (EU) countries issued 79,205 new decisions granting temporary protection to non-EU citizens fleeing Ukraine, marking a 49% increase from August 2025. This figure represents the highest monthly number of new decisions recorded since August 2023. The surge in applications follows a decree from the Ukrainian government at the end of August 2025, allowing men aged 18 to 22 to leave Ukraine without restrictions. By the end of September 2025, a total of 4.3 million non-EU citizens who fled Ukraine had temporary protection status in the EU.

Temporary protection decisions highest in 2 yearsIn September, the EU saw a record number of refugees from Ukraine in two years

The demographic composition of Ukrainian refugees has shifted significantly due to the recent policy change. As of September 2025, adult men accounted for 47% of the refugee population, surpassing adult women, who made up 31%. Minors represented 22% of the total. The countries hosting the largest numbers of beneficiaries were Germany, with 1,218,100 individuals (28.3% of the EU total), Poland, with 1,008,885 (23.5%), and Czechia, with 389,310 (9%).

Among EU countries, the increase in temporary protection beneficiaries was observed in 24 nations, with the largest absolute increases seen in Poland (+12,960), Germany (+7,585), and Czechia (+3,455). The only country to report a decrease was France, which saw a reduction of 240 beneficiaries. The highest ratios of temporary protection beneficiaries per thousand people were recorded in Czechia (35.7), Poland (27.6), and Estonia (25.5), compared to an EU average of 9.6 per thousand.

On June 13, 2025, the European Council decided to extend temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees from March 4, 2026, to March 4, 2027. This extension applies to all 27 EU member states and several associated countries, including Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. However, Poland has announced plans to terminate the pan-European program in March 2026, intending to introduce its own legalization mechanism, the CUKR Card (Centrum Uznawania Kwalifikacji i Rejestracji).

Temporary protection decisions highest in 2 years

Some critics have raised concerns about the sustainability of the temporary protection program, particularly regarding the long-term integration of refugees into host countries. The European Commission is reportedly working on a gradual transition plan from temporary protection to other types of residence permits, aiming to avoid mass terminations of statuses after 2027.

• “The publication writes that, according to Eurostat data, the rapid increase in applications for temporary protection is due to the Ukrainian government's permission to leave the country for men aged 18 to 22.” — Eurostat

• “For the first time, they outnumbered adult women (31%).” — Eurostat

In September, the EU saw a record number of refugees from Ukraine in two years

This comprehensive overview highlights the significant rise in temporary protection decisions for Ukrainian refugees in the EU, the demographic shifts among these individuals, and the official responses shaping their future.

Temporary protection decisions highest in 2 years