Legal status of ukrainian researcher-refugees in the European Union during the war and under temporary protection

Abstract

The article examines the legal position of Ukrainian researchers who, following the full-scale war launched by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, found themselves in European Union Member States under temporary protection or with refugee status. The aim is to clarify the scope of their labour and academic rights, compare the legal regimes of temporary protection and refugee status in terms of access to employment and education, and outline national regulatory specificities in Poland, Germany, and the Czech Republic. The methodology combines formal-legal, comparative-law, systemic and structural-functional approaches. The study argues that the combination of humanitarian status and the need to ensure continuity of research activity gives rise to a doctrinal category—the “researcher-refugee.” It shows that temporary protection ensures rapid access to residence, work, education and basic social guarantees but is time-limited and does not by itself secure long-term integration; refugee status, by contrast, offers broader and more durable guarantees. Case studies of Poland, Germany, and the Czech Republic reveal a hybrid model that couples humanitarian guarantees with dedicated academic instruments (facilitated university employment, scholarship and grant schemes, accelerated recognition of qualifications). Nonetheless, barriers persist regarding credential recognition, unequal access to competitive funding, and divergent institutional practices. The article’s novelty lies in conceptualising the category of the “Ukrainian researcher-refugee” and proposing a European framework for supporting displaced researchers. Its practical value is reflected in recommendations for harmonising EU Member State policies and for designing a national strategy in Ukraine aimed at support, cooperation, and future reintegration of researchers. Problem Setting. The full-scale war launched by the Russian Federation against Ukraine in February 2022 has caused an unprecedented wave of forced migration, with a considerable number of displaced persons belonging to the academic and research community. This situation has posed new challenges for Ukraine and the European Union concerning the protection of the rights of individuals granted temporary protection or refugee status, particularly in relation to research and academic activity. Therefore, there arises the need for a comprehensive legal analysis of the status of Ukrainian researcher-refugees, the specifics of their integration into the EU scientific and educational space, and the harmonisation of national and international legal mechanisms ensuring their rights. Analysis of Recent Researches and Publications. Significant contributions to the theoretical and practical aspects of this issue have been made by I. Yakoviuk, who explores the international legal mechanisms for protecting Ukrainian refugees within the European Union and the correlation between national and EU law. The researcher highlights that the effectiveness of temporary protection depends on the uniformity of legal standards and the coherence of policies among EU Member States. S. Hlibko focuses on the legal protection of social and labour rights of displaced persons, including those employed in the academic sector, and emphasises the importance of harmonising Ukrainian labour legislation with European standards. V. Kokhan analyses mechanisms of professional adaptation of Ukrainian citizens in EU countries, particularly in the fields of education, science, and entrepreneurship, stressing the importance of equal access to the labour market and the protection of employment rights. I. Podrez-Riapolova studies the legal framework for academic mobility of Ukrainian scholars within European educational programmes and underlines the need to improve procedures for recognising qualifications of persons granted temporary protection. In the broader context of humanitarian and migration law, O. Melnyk and O. Kostiuchenko address the general legal status of displaced persons and the role of international instruments such as the Council Directive 2001/55/EC and the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees in shaping European approaches to protecting Ukrainian citizens. Thus, researchers mainly focus on international, social, and educational aspects of temporary protection; however, the issue of legal guarantees for research activity and academic rights of Ukrainian researcher-refugees remains insufficiently explored and requires further in-depth study. Target of Research. The purpose of the article is to conduct a comprehensive legal analysis of the status of Ukrainian researcher-refugees in the European Union, to identify the specifics of exercising their labour and academic rights within the framework of temporary protection, and to propose ways of improving legal mechanisms that support researchers’ integration into the European scientific and academic environment. Article’s Main Body. The main part of the article examines the legal nature of temporary protection and refugee status under EU and international law, highlighting the role of Council Directive 2001/55/EC and Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382 as foundational instruments for the protection of displaced persons from Ukraine. The study compares these regimes in terms of the right to work and education, noting that temporary protection ensures rapid access to residence and employment but is limited in duration, while refugee status guarantees long-term stability and integration. The article further analyses the legal position of Ukrainian researchers in Poland, Germany, and the Czech Republic, emphasising differences in national legislation and institutional practices. These states have implemented hybrid legal models that combine humanitarian guarantees with special academic instruments—simplified employment in universities, participation in grant programmes, and accelerated recognition of qualifications. Conclusions and Prospects for the Development. The study concludes that the legal position of Ukrainian researcher-refugees is shaped by a combination of international, European, and national norms. The EU’s temporary protection regime provides essential social and labour guarantees but does not ensure long-term integration. EU Member States apply hybrid models that combine humanitarian protection with academic mechanisms to preserve the intellectual potential of Ukraine. Further research should focus on the development of unified approaches to the legal status of researcher-refugees, the improvement of qualification recognition procedures, and the formulation of a long-term strategy for cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union in the field of research mobility and academic freedom.