Washington, D.C. (October 28, 2022) –
A new report from the Center for Immigration Studies paints a picture of the millions of Ukrainians who have fled their country, eight months after the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Dr. Nayla Rush, a senior researcher at the Center, also makes predictions for future refugee and migration flows from Ukraine to the United States and other countries.
Those looking to learn more about the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine should listen to the
latest episode of the Center’s podcast,
Parsing Immigration Policy. This week’s episode is a re-release of a recent panel discussion entitled, “The Ukraine War and Its Impacts on Migration,” in which experts from the U.S. and Europe examine the war’s refugee and internally displaced person (IDP) challenges faced by Ukraine, Europe, Africa, and the U.S.
Approximately seven million Ukrainians have sought refuge in European countries, in addition to about 2.5 million seeking refuge in non-EU countries. Most are women and children, as men aged 18-60 are not allowed to leave the country, but should that change, men will likely want to join their spouses and families outside Ukraine. Additionally, despite the U.S. expectations that they will do so, Ukrainians do not seem to be planning to return permanently. When they do return home, it is often temporary, and only ten percent of those who returned to Ukraine from abroad have stayed.
According to Dr. Rush, “As the crisis evolves into a likely stalemate, more and more will want to migrate onward looking for better opportunities or to join family members scattered further around the world (including in non-European countries).”
