Ukrainian refugees now make up 2 percent of the population of Lithuania, according to Finance Minister Gintarė Skaistė, as she called on Brussels to provide financial assistance. In Estonia it is about 2.5 percent and in Poland about 6–7 percent. The average cost of maintaining a refugee stood at about 500 euros per person each month, Skaistė said. As a solution, she proposed using the same mechanism as during the refugee crisis of 2015, when the European Union provided financial assistance to Turkey, which welcomed millions of refugees. Over 53,000 refugees have now arrived in Lithuania from Ukraine, according to official statistics.
Over 7,600 Ukrainian refugees in Lithuania have already found jobs. They account for one third of the working-age Ukrainians who have arrived in Lithuania since Russia invaded the country.
“One in three Ukrainians of working age who have come to our country has already found a job. Ukrainians in employment have already paid over 3 million euros in taxes to our country,” said Social Security and Labour Minister Monika Navickienė.
The vast majority of Ukrainians work in medium-skilled jobs, while one in ten work in high-skilled jobs. Most employers hire Ukrainians on a permanent basis. According to a report from the ministry, most Ukrainians are employed as domestic workers, cleaners in offices, hotels and other establishments, goods handlers, packers, and salespeople. Among those working in skilled jobs, bakers, confectioners, tailors, cooks, teachers and pre-school assistants are the most numerous. There are also jobs as nursing assistants, managers, English, Russian and mathematics teachers, engineers, and architects. Their salaries range from the minimum wage to almost 2,000 euros a month. The average Ukrainian working in Lithuania earns about 900 euros before tax. Over 8,700 job seekers from Ukraine are currently registered with the Employment Service.
