14 November 2024
Perspectives of Ukrainian displaced persons in Austria and Europe: Key stakeholders addressed challenges and solutions
Professional integration is the greatest challenge for displaced Ukrainians abroad.
On November 6, the Professional Integration HUB held a Stakeholders Meeting focused on identifying the challenges and barriers that Ukrainian professionals in Austria face on their path to professional integration and exploring solutions.
We are proud to have co-organized this significant event, “Perspectives of Ukrainian Displaced Persons in Austria and Europe,” together with ERSTE Foundation and Dr. Judith Kohlenberger.
This event brought together leading representatives from ministries, international organizations, NGOs, and businesses to address both challenges and opportunities for integrating Ukrainians who have relocated to Europe due to the war.
Key topics included Ukrainian professionals‘ access to the labor market, language and bureaucratic barriers, community integration, and long-term residency perspectives.
“Stakeholder meetings like these are essential for the successful integration of Ukrainian professionals seeking job opportunities into the Austrian labor market. Bringing together all organizations involved allows us to synchronize our efforts, align our strategies, and jointly develop policy recommendations. For us as a foundation, it was especially important to serve as a platform, providing a dedicated space for knowledge exchange and for finding opportunities to reinforce one another’s efforts,” said Yana Barinova, ERSTE Foundation’s Program Director for European Policies and Ukraine.
Dr. Judith Kohlenberger presented a timely study on the current status of Ukrainian integration into the labor markets of Austria and the EU.
“This event is essential as it brought together experts from various fields working with displaced Ukrainians. Integration challenges, particularly professional integration, are timely and significant for all stakeholders. It is crucial to unite efforts to overcome these issues. Only together can we achieve effective outcomes,” said Olga Olefirova, co-founder of the European Centre for Freedom and Independence.
We are especially proud that our initiative, the Professional Integration HUB, which serves as a bridge for Ukrainian professionals into the Austrian professional environment, received considerable positive feedback, suggestions, and recommendations.
The event demonstrated the Austrian commitment to supporting Ukraine and its people.
Photographer: Valerie Maltseva
