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, acclimatized 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.

The qualification paradox

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 per cent had employment declines, 34 per cent secured employment at the same level as before, and eight per cent had employment improvements.

A year after displacement, some refugees were succeeding while others were not. Why? 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 high school education or less. This resulted in lost value for refugees.

Anna Didenko, a study........

© The Conversation