In January 31, 2023, among the EU members for which data are available, Poland granted the highest number of temporary protection statuses to Ukrainians fleeing Ukraine (28 445) as a consequence of Russia’s invasion. Poland was followed by Germany (28 205) ahead of Romania (8 955) and Spain (4 250).
Compared with December 2022, the number of decisions granting temporary protection to Ukrainians in January fell in 21 of the 25 EU members with available data. The largest decreases were observed in Poland (-3 415 compared with December 2022), followed by Romania (-2 305), Italy and Ireland (both -2 000). Meanwhile, the most important increase was recorded in Germany (+3 095).
On January V2023, and among the EU countries for which data are available, the highest numbers of Ukrainian beneficiaries of temporary protection were recorded in Germany (971 920) and Poland (969 425).
Data presented in this article refer to the grants of temporary protection based on the Council Implementing Decision 2022/382 of 4 March 2022, establishing the existence of a mass influx of displaced persons from Ukraine due to Russia’s invasion, and having the effect of introducing temporary protection.
Compared with the population of each EU member, the highest ratios of Ukrainian citizens granted temporary protection per thousand population in January 2023 were recorded in Cyprus (1.0), Estonia and Poland (both 0.8).
Children represented a significant proportion of Ukrainians seeking protection in Germany, Poland and Romania
In January 2023, among the countries for which data are available, Germany granted the highest number of temporary protections to Ukrainian children (people under 18 years old) with a total of 8 275 (representing 29 % of Ukrainians granted protection in Germany in January 2023), followed by Poland (6 800, 24 %) and Romania (2 905, 32 %).
For more information:
- Statistics Explained on temporary protection for persons fleeing Ukraine
- Thematic section on the impact of the war in Ukraine
- Thematic section on migration and asylum statistics
- Database on asylum statistics
- Statistics Explained article on monthly asylum statistics
- Statistics Explained article on annual asylum statistics
- European Commission – Temporary protection
- EU solidarity with Ukraine
Methodological notes:
- Some data are unavailable. This is because the monthly data collection is carried out on a voluntary basis, so the completeness of the data may vary:
- Czechia: data on decisions granting temporary protection to Ukrainians are available only for March 2022; monthly data on beneficiaries at the end of the month are available for all reference periods except January 2023.
- Portugal: data on decisions granting temporary protection to Ukrainians are not available for January 2023; data on beneficiaries at the end of January 2023 not available.
- Germany: data on decisions granting temporary protection to Ukrainians are not available for March-July 2022.
- France: In most cases, minors can stay in France without a permit. Therefore, minors are generally not included in statistics on temporary protection.
- Czechia, Ireland, Hungary and Portugal: data on temporary protection for Ukrainian children (people under 18 years old) are not available for January 2023.
- Temporary protection is a procedure provided only in the event of a mass influx or imminent mass influx of displaced persons from third countries who are unable to return to their country of origin. These people are granted immediate and temporary protection, in particular if there is also a risk that the asylum system will be unable to process the influx without adverse effects for its efficient operation, in the interests of the persons concerned and other persons requesting protection.
- Data presented in this article refer to the grants of temporary protection and not to the registrations for temporary protection, which may precede the process of granting the status. Therefore, the data may not present all persons fleeing Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and who have registered but not yet formally received temporary protection.