The diverse experiences and positions of Ukrainian refugees: evidence from a large representative survey in the Netherlands

Ukrainian refugees form a large new migrant group in many European countries, but we have surprisingly little representative evidence on how they fare in their host countries across multiple life domains. This study provides the first nationally representative, multidimensional analysis of Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands, advancing our theoretical and empirical understanding of refugee participation. Our results highlight potential trade-offs and spillovers between life domains, showing that high labor market participation often coexists with challenges in social participation, health, and language proficiency. Comparative analyses with Syrian refugees and the Dutch population illustrate how differing policy environments may be involved in participation trajectories. Further, in line with the notion of superdiversity, we highlight substantial heterogeneity in outcomes within the Ukrainian refugee population. In particular, women and higher-educated Ukrainian refugees on average obtain worse outcomes across multiple life domains. Our findings demonstrate the complex, multidimensional nature of refugee participation, where positive outcomes in some domains or subgroups may coincide with difficulties in others. These insights have important policy implications for supporting vulnerable subgroups and designing policy measures that address the diverse needs within refugee populations.