Preparing for long term stay or fast return? Labour-market integration of Ukrainian refugees in Norway (UKRINT)

The Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine has resulted in the largest yearly influx of refugees in Norway to date. Having been granted temporary collective protection, Ukrainian refugees' future length of stay in Norway is uncertain. This gives rise to a key dilemma for national policymakers, local actors and Ukrainian refugees alike, which UKRINT seeks to address: Should the aim be long-term strategies to re-qualify or upskill Ukrainian refugees in line with demands in host country labour markets? Or should the strategy focus on providing these refugees with (any kind of) rapid employment while they wait for an uncertain return? This dilemma and the effects of applying a short- versus long-term approach to their labour-market integration will be investigated from macro-level (national policymakers), meso-level (local communities) and micro-level (Ukrainian refugees) perspectives, and their interplay. The project will both build on and contribute to theories on uncertainty and liminality with regards to conflict-induced displacement. The project has a dual comparative approach. First, we conduct a cross-national comparison between Norway and Sweden, two most-similar countries which have adopted very different policies towards Ukrainian refugees. The project will look into the effects of these differences on labour-market integration outcomes. Second, we conduct in-depth analysis of how challenges, practices, and results differ among municipalities in Norway, in order to identify good labour-market integration practices. UKRINT applies a multi-method approach and consists of five research work packages (WPs) as follows: WP1: Comparative policy analysis: Norway and Sweden WP2: Analysis of register data on the labour-market integration of Ukrainian refugees WP3: Case studies in four Norwegian municipalities WP4: Surveys to municipal services and to Ukrainian refugees, in Norway and Sweden WP5: Integrated and cross-cutting analysis: macro-, meso- and micro levels

The Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine has resulted in the largest yearly influx of refugees in Norway to date. Having been granted temporary collective protection, Ukrainian refugees' future length of stay in Norway is uncertain. This gives rise to a key dilemma for national policymakers, local actors and Ukrainian refugees alike, which UKRINT seeks to address: Should the aim be long-term strategies to re-qualify or upskill Ukrainian refugees in line with demands in host country labour markets? Or should the strategy focus on providing these refugees with (any kind of) rapid employment while they wait for an uncertain return? This dilemma and the effects of applying a short- versus long-term approach to their labour-market integration will be investigated from macro-level (national policymakers), meso-level (local communities) and micro-level (Ukrainian refugees) perspectives, and their interplay. The project will both build on and contribute to theories on uncertainty and liminality with regards to conflict-induced displacement. The project has a dual comparative approach. First, we conduct a cross-national comparison between Norway and Sweden, two most-similar countries which have adopted very different policies towards Ukrainian refugees. The project will look into the effects of these differences on labour-market integration outcomes. Second, we conduct in-depth analysis of how challenges, practices, and results differ among municipalities in Norway, in order to identify good labour-market integration practices. UKRINT applies a multi-method approach and consists of five research work packages (WPs) as follows: WP1: Comparative policy analysis: Norway and Sweden WP2: Analysis of register data on the labour-market integration of Ukrainian refugees WP3: Case studies in four Norwegian municipalities WP4: Surveys to municipal services and to Ukrainian refugees, in Norway and Sweden WP5: Integrated and cross-cutting analysis: macro-, meso- and micro levels