Lithuania’s recent policy that restricts Ukrainians from working in the country without temporary protection unless they hold a residence permit has officially come into force.
This decision means that as of September 1, 2024, Ukrainians without this status must obtain a residence permit to continue working in the country, Schengen.News reports.
Previously, foreign nationals registered with Lithuania’s Migration Department who could not return to Ukraine and were not eligible for temporary protection were exempt from needing a work permit under certain conditions.
According to the Lithuanian Migration Department, this included those with visa-free travel, valid Schengen visas or national visas issued in exceptional circumstances, and those who had applied for a residence permit for work, highly skilled work or humanitarian reasons.
As of September 1, 2024, these exemptions, except for highly skilled workers, have ended in most cases.
Now, foreign nationals without temporary protection who cannot return to Ukraine because of the war and have applied for a temporary residence permit for work or humanitarian reasons will be allowed to work only after receiving a residence permit, not from the date of their application.
This means that a foreign national who is not entitled to temporary protection but cannot return to Ukraine due to the war and who has applied for a temporary residence permit for work or humanitarian reasons will be entitled to work from the date they receive the residence permit, not from the date of application.
Ukrainians With EU Temporary Protection Can Still Work Immediately in Lithuania
However, the new changes do not impact Ukrainian refugees who benefit from the EU’s temporary protection mechanism in Lithuania. These refugees receive digital residence permits from the Migration Department. Newly arrived refugees under the EU scheme can continue to start working immediately after submitting their application for a temporary residence permit.
Data from the Migration Department show that as of August, Lithuania had registered 76,300 Ukrainians, 44,300 of whom were granted temporary protection.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, nearly 30,000 Ukrainians have secured employment in Lithuania. An International Organization for Migration (IOM) survey reveals that 70 per cent of Ukrainian refugees in Lithuania are actively participating in the labour force—73 per cent of men and 70 per cent of women—while 30 per cent remain inactive, including 27 per cent of men and 30 per cent of women.
