Baltic Countries — Surveys with Refugees from Ukraine: Needs, Intentions, and Integration Challenges (April-June 2023)

This report is based on a survey of displacement patterns, needs and intentions conducted by IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) in the countries included in the Regional Response Plan for Ukraine in 2023: 6 countries neighbouring Ukraine – Belarus, Hungary, Poland, Republic of Moldova, Romania and Slovakia – and other 5 countries particularly impacted by the arrivals of refugees from Ukraine since the start of the war in February 2022 – Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The analysis presented in this report is based on data collected between July and September 2023.

Key Findings: 

• Top oblasts of origin: Donetska (15%), Kharkivska (12%), Khersonska (12%), Zaporizka (10%), Dnipropetrovska (7%).
• Intentions to move: Lithuania - no intentions to move (95%), move within current country (1%), or to another country (1%), Top 3 being Poland, Latvia, and the United Kingdom; Latvia - Latvia is a transit country for many refugees from Ukraine. The majority planned to move to another country (58%), Top 3 being Poland, Russian Federation, and Germany. Others wanted to move to a different location in Ukraine (29%), or move to their place of origin in Ukraine (8%); Estonia - no intention to move (88%), move to place of origin in Ukraine (3%), to another country (3%), Top 3 being Germany, Czechia, and Norway.
• Employment status: Lithuania - employed (33%), retired (24%), unemployed and looking for a job (14%), unemployed and not looking for a job (12%), parental leave (12%); Latvia - unemployed and looking for a job (40%), employed (20%), retired (25%), unemployed and not looking for a job (4%), daily workers (3%); Estonia - employed (46%), unemployed and looking for a job (22%), student (14%), retired (6%), on parental leave (5%).
• Top needs*: Lithuania - financial support (27%), health services (22%), medicines (18%), employment (14%), food products (12%); Latvia - housing (36%), cash support (36%), employment (34%), medical needs (23%), information (18%); Estonia - employment (20%), health services (17%), financial support (16%), documentation and registration (12%).
• Top areas of assistance received*: Lithuania - food products (90%), personal hygiene and sanitary supplies (85%), financial support (83%), transportation (58%), clothes and shoes (53%); Latvia - food products (74%), financial support (40%), housing (35%), personal hygiene and sanitary supplies (16%); Estonia - free transportation (84%), food items (71%), financial support (66%), accommodation (34%).
• Top inclusion challenges*: Lithuania - financial issues (23%), language barrier (14%), employment (12%), housing (11%), social services (8%); Estonia - language barrier (33%), employment (24%), housing (14%), accessing social services (9%). 
  
  * Multiple answers possible