Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, more than 14 million Ukrainians have fled their homes according to the United Nations (UN). Many have left behind their families, friends, homes, and jobs, hoping someday to return to their motherland. Today, in their new temporary homes, people are looking for jobs and trying to integrate into the host societies.
An example of this is Volodymyr Matiushko, Ph.D. Volodymyr, 63, is an international consultant in digital and green transition who left his homeland almost a month after the war began on February 24, 2022. We asked Dr. Matiushko what it’s like to search for a job in a new foreign country. Check out some of his views below.
Key Takeaways:
- More than 14 million people are thought to have fled their homes since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine according to the UN. About 6 million have left for neighboring countries while 8 million people are internally displaced in the war-torn country itself.
- Poland has received more refugees from Ukraine than all other European countries combined. Romania, Moldova, Hungary, Slovakia, Russia, and Belarus are also hosting war-zone refugees.
- Lengthy asylum-seeking procedures, uncertainty, and exclusion from labor markets are considered to be among the biggest challenges faced by refugees.
DevelopmentAid: When did you leave Ukraine and where are you now?
Volodymyr Matiushko: First of all, thank you for caring about Ukrainian professionals who are externally displaced persons. I left Ukraine on March 17 and I am currently in Germany. At home, I was a digital development expert, mostly involved in digital transformation strategies for government and businesses.
DevelopmentAid: What have been the most difficult challenges in leaving your country?
Volodymyr Matiushko: The three development projects in Ukraine on which I worked as a key expert have been suspended for an indefinite period. I lost all my income and adding this to the situation in the country, I was forced to find a place to move to.
DevelopmentAid: What were your first steps to settle in and start a new life?
Volodymyr Matiushko: Everything happened so fast and the first thing I did was to take care of accommodation for my family via my friends. Then I applied for a residence permit and submitted my CV and applications for several vacant positions in international development projects.
DevelopmentAid: Have you found a job in Germany? Is it an easy process?
Volodymyr Matiushko: What I mentioned above – finding accommodation for my family and applying for a residence permit – took a lot of my personal time. I have not found a job yet. It is not that easy. What I observed is that in Germany, in order to find a job, one needs to be fluent in the German language. The government offers a language course but to acquire this skill, I would need at least one year.
DevelopmentAid: What are your views about the current situation in Ukraine and how do you see the future there?
Volodymyr Matiushko: It is hard to watch what is happening in my country. Besides the humanitarian crisis, the state of the economy is critical. In the development field, only humanitarian projects are active with the rest being either suspended or closed. The future is uncertain. The only hope is the help of the international community and development partners to end the war and rebuild Ukraine.
DevelopmentAid: What would be your message to the countries that are hosting Ukrainian refugees?
Volodymyr Matiushko: First of all, I am sure that every one of us is thankful for being housed by these states. Secondly, it would be really helpful to know more about the support programs for Ukrainian experts – externally displaced persons, for example – and the short- and long-term employment opportunities as STE. If there is more information or any available positions in this regard, it would be nice to communicate this. We all hope for peace! (Volodymyr Matiushko, Digital&Green transition Consultant)
Companies and organizations with open job offers that match Dr. Matiushko’s specialization can reach him via his DevelopmentAid member profile.
