Ukrainian citizens who are in the European Union countries under the temporary protection program will not be able to automatically remain in the EU after the end of this regime. It will probably last until March 2027. This was stated by the EU Special Envoy for Ukrainians Ylva Johansson in a comment to Radio Liberty.
According to her, after the temporary protection program ends, Ukrainians will have to switch to national residence permits in accordance with the legislation of each individual EU member state. There is no automatic extension of the status or its conversion into a long-term permit.
Johansson stressed that current EU rules provide for obtaining long-term or permanent residence after at least five years of legal residence in the country. However, the period spent under temporary protection does not count towards this period.
She said that while she was European Commissioner for Home Affairs, she initiated an amendment to European law that would allow years of temporary protection to be taken into account for obtaining long-term status. However, negotiations on this initiative have reached an impasse, and a provisional regime is currently in place that does not provide for such changes.
The Special Envoy noted that in most EU countries, national laws allow foreigners to obtain a permanent or long-term permit after five years of legal residence. However, this mechanism will not automatically apply to Ukrainians who have enjoyed temporary protection.
Despite this, a number of EU member states are interested in Ukrainians staying after the program ends. Some countries are already adapting their legislation. In particular, Poland has announced a comprehensive solution that involves transferring about 900,000 Ukrainians to national residence permits. According to Johansson, similar processes are taking place in almost all EU countries.
At the same time, some states are moving more slowly and are only just beginning to analyze the necessary changes to the legislation. This involves creating legal mechanisms that will allow Ukrainians who are working and have already integrated into society to remain on a more stable footing.
Due to delays in decision-making, some citizens may find themselves in a situation of legal uncertainty after 2027. The final conditions of stay will depend on the decisions of specific governments and possible changes in European legislation.
