Protection for Ukrainian refugees extended again

The ongoing temporary protection for Ukrainians refugees will continue until 4 March 2028, said the Ministry of the Interior on Friday.

Earlier on Thursday, EU countries agreed to extend the temporary protection status granted to Ukrainian refugees by one year.

The grounds based on which temporary protection was originally introduced still exist.

The number of Ukrainian refugees granted temporary protection in the EU and Schengen area remains high, about 4.4 million, with about 50,000 currently residing in Finland.

Though temporary protection was extended to March 2028, preparations are also being made at the EU level to eventually phase it out. This protection is a temporary measure and is intended to end when circumstances in Ukraine allow.

In the summer of 2025, the Council approved exit recommendations as part of preparations to phase out temporary protection.

No class of residence permit specifically for Ukrainians is being prepared at the EU level. More permanent stays in the EU will require applying for existing types of national residence permits, such as permits based on work, study or family ties.

A total of about 7,500 Ukrainians have already done so in Finland. A total of 4,300 Ukrainians have been granted a residence permit on the basis of work and 2,800 on the basis of family ties.

Temporary protection was introduced in the EU after Russia launched its war of aggression in Ukraine in March 2022.

The EU decided that, going forward, temporary protection will be granted only to new applicants who satisfy their military obligations under Ukrainian law, such as military service.

Applicants will have to prove they left Ukraine legally, for example by showing a passport with an exit stamp or other official document.

These new conditions only apply to new applicants for temporary protection.

People, who already benefitting from temporary protection in Finland do not need to take action because of this decision.

A Government decision on the matter is scheduled be made on 6 August 2026.

Earlier in July 2025, the temporary protection for Ukrainians refugees extended until 4 March 2027.

In February 2025, the Finnish government extended the temporary residence permits for refugees from Ukraine for another year.

The government on December 29, 2022 brought a temporary amendment to the Aliens Act with the view to ensure the validity of residence permits issued in Finland to beneficiaries of temporary protection for as long as the temporary protection is in effect in the EU.