Ukrainians who arrive in Germany after April 1, 2025, will no longer have access to expanded social benefits at the level of local citizens. According to German media reports, the German government has approved a reform that equates newly arrived refugees from Ukraine with ordinary asylum seekers, which automatically means a reduction in the amount of benefits.
According to Bild, the changes will apply to all Ukrainians who enter Germany after April 1, 2025. If they previously had a special status, introduced after the start of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, and could receive assistance at the level of basic support for citizens (Bürgergeld), then in the future the standard rules for asylum seekers will apply to them.
According to the publication, the reform was agreed upon by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) and Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Bärbel Bas (SPD), effectively abolishing the special support regime for Ukrainians. No compensation or transitional payments are provided for this group of refugees. One of the coalition's senior officials explained this by saying that introducing additional compensation mechanisms would create "too much bureaucracy."
According to German media, about half of Ukrainian refugees in Germany currently receive citizen assistance, although a significant number of them can in principle work. It was this special status that provided Ukrainians with a higher level of social support compared to other refugee groups, which are subject to stricter rules and lower payments.
According to the coalition agreement between the SPD and the CDU/CSU bloc, Ukrainians who arrive in Germany from April 1, 2025, will only be able to count on the amount of assistance provided for ordinary asylum seekers. This is approximately 110 euros less per month for one adult than Ukrainians with special status currently receive.
At the same time, one of the key changes emphasized in Berlin is the preservation of immediate access to the labor market for Ukrainians. This means that new arrivals will be able to work immediately without the long wait for a permit, as is often the case with other categories of refugees. The authorities expect that in this way some Ukrainians will be able to integrate into the economy more quickly and compensate for the reduction in social benefits through labor income.
Critics of the reform say the cuts will hit the most vulnerable – single parents, the elderly and those who are physically unable to find work immediately – hardest. Supporters say the reform is about “leveling the playing field” for all refugee groups and easing the burden on Germany’s social system.
How exactly the reform will affect the number of new Ukrainian refugees who will choose Germany as a country of temporary protection will become clear after the changes come into force in 2025.
