Prague - Since 15 June, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has been conducting a survey among war refugees from Ukraine in the Czechia. The survey provides insight into the current development of return planning to Ukraine as well as the needs of Ukrainian refugees. Almost 50 per cent of respondents in this survey stated that they did not have the funds to cover living expenses. Apart from finances, the most common needs included employment support, language courses and health services. The survey also shows that the presence of friends or family and relatives is the top reason given by respondents for their choice of current location in Czechia.

Of the 1,006 respondents who participated in the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) survey from 15 June to 29 July, 49 per cent indicated that they do not plan to return to Ukraine or move from their current place of residence in the Czech Republic elsewhere in the short term. About 47 per cent of the sample instead expressed an interest in returning as soon as it is safe to do so or prospectively between one and twelve months. The survey also showed that most people who were employed in Ukraine have not yet been able to find employment in the Czech Republic. Of those interviewed, 55 percent were in the process of looking for work and 16 percent were employed at the time of the survey. Of the respondents interviewed, 41 per cent had brought qualification documents (school cards/diplomas) with them but had complications with the nostrification of these documents. "Many refugees worked in the medicine or education. Often, however, they cannot afford translations of extensive professional documents, or they cannot provide a document with the required number of hours for each subject, as required," notes Zdeněk Svoboda, coordinator of the DTM program in the Czechia.

Almost half of the respondents also said that they do not have enough funds to cover their living expenses. Apart from finances, the most common needs were employment support (mentioned by 60 per cent of respondents), language courses (59 per cent), health services (43 per cent) and long-term accommodation (36 per cent).

The survey also looked at the reasons for choosing the current residence of responding refugees in the Czechia. The most common ones were the presence of friends (54 percent) or family and relatives (36 percent) in the area. Almost a quarter (24 per cent) of respondents said that their choice of place of residence was also motivated by a better security system (availability of jobs, authorities, infrastructure, etc.). “Therefore, Ukrainian associations and refugees themselves should be involved in the resettlement debate," comments Petr Čáp, IOM Director in the Czech Republic. He also mentions that IOM will publish interim results of the survey regularly in the coming months. "The data can thus help the Czechia in discussions about the process of voluntary relocation of refugees from Prague to the regions," adds Petr Čáp.

"The data we are presenting are not based on a representative sample, but are indicative for monitoring trends among Ukrainian refugees," explains Zdeněk Svoboda. He points out that this is not general data applicable to the total number of migrants in the Czechia who left their homes in Ukraine because of the war. The Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) survey, however, offers a more qualitative insight into the situation of refugees from Ukraine and other TCNs. "All questionnaire surveys were conducted by our enumerators in the form of personal interviews. Thus, they listened to and recorded many personal stories and explanations of the situations of refugees from Ukraine and other third country, for example, why they are cancelling their temporary protection visas or what complications they face when looking for work," adds Zdeněk Svoboda.

---
“I want to come back home, but I don't know if it is intact or destroyed. Almost everything in our city has been destroyed. Therefore, I don’t know if it’s really possible to return home.”
- woman, 22 years old, Luhanska region

“Ukraine is my native country. Here in Czech Republic all people are very responsive, helpful. They gave us care and we are grateful for that, but a home is a home. We are not at the age to be adventurers. As soon as the war ends, or at least the shooting stops, we will immediately go home.”
- woman, 61 years old, Zhytomyrska region
---

The data in the report are based on the Displacement Tracking Matrix system (DTM) launched by IOM's Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) program in the Czech Republic on 15 June 2022. All interviews were conducted in person by IOM’s DTM trained teams of enumerators with adult refugees and other TCNs leaving from Ukraine. Surveys are collected in selected entry and transit locations, registration and reception centres identified as the most frequently used by refugees and other third country nationals arriving from Ukraine. The current report presents an analysis based on 1,006 questionnaire surveys conducted between 15 June and 29 July 2022. The sample is not representative of all displaced persons from Ukraine to the Czech Republic and should be considered indicative only.

***