Temporary protection for Ukrainians in the EU

How EU temporary protection works

Temporary protection comes from Directive 2001/55/EC, first activated in March 2022 for people fleeing the war in Ukraine. It gives residence, the right to work, housing, medical care and schooling without an individual asylum procedure.

The Council of the EU extends it, but each country sets its own benefits and checks. It is not refugee status and often does not count toward citizenship; the US Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a separate programme with its own rules.

Some non-Ukrainian nationals who held permanent residence in Ukraine before the war and cannot safely return to their country of origin also qualify. Protection can be enjoyed in only one EU country at a time, so moving means registering again and cancelling the previous status. Short trips to Ukraine usually do not end protection, but some countries require reporting long absences or withdraw the status after them. The Council has recommended that member states prepare transitions to national permits for work, study or family for people who stay after protection ends.