This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The Russian invasion of Ukraine continues into 2026, with millions of Ukrainians displaced around the world. Many arrived in host countries with professional experience, degrees and specialized skills.
Yet displacement often leaves highly educated refugees unable to continue their previous careers. In Canada, the federal government has extended temporary measures for displaced Ukrainians, allowing for work permit extensions of up to three years. But what happens to refugees' employment after the first year, when they have moved beyond the immediate crisis of arrival, acclimated and learned how a new country works?
New research by my colleagues and me—a team consisting of both Canadian and Ukrainian researchers—looks at how Ukrainian refugees' employment changed after leaving Ukraine. Our findings, published in the International Journal of Manpower, reveal a complex picture. While some refugees successfully rebuilt their careers, others experienced significant employment setbacks.
We analyzed data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on 1,429 Ukrainian refugees who were living and working outside Ukraine. We compared their employment before and after fleeing Ukraine. We found three different outcomes: 58% had employment declines, 34% secured employment at the same level as before and 8% had employment improvements.
A year after displacement, some refugees were succeeding while others were not. The answer partly lies in what researchers have called the "qualifications paradox"—the idea that more education hurts rather than helps refugee employment outcomes. Those with specialized or graduate degrees had nearly twice the odds of working below their previous employment level compared with those with a high school education or less.
This resulted in lost value for refugees. Anna Didenko, a study co-author from the University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Ukraine, said this to me about the phenomenon: "I have seen highly educated Ukrainians experience some of the steepest professional setbacks after leaving Ukraine. Doctors who spent six or more years studying and years in clinical practice sometimes are forced into mismatched jobs because their qualifications don't transfer easily." Nearly 90% of respondents were women, reflecting Ukraine's martial law, which prevents most military-age men from leaving the country.
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