The Dutch government has announced that the temporary protection directive for Ukrainian refugees has been extended until March 4 next year.
Through a statement issued yesterday, on January 31, the government also emphasised that for most refugees from Ukraine, nothing will change, so they will continue to have access to the labour market and everything else as until now, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
According to the government, until March 4, 2024, refugees of Ukrainian nationality who are staying in the Netherlands under the directive can continue to work with the sticker or permit they already have and an additional letter from the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND).
“Between January 27 and February 25 2023, these people will receive a letter from the IND explaining that their residence document has been extended. This renewal letter is valid from March 4 of this year, in combination with the stickers or pass. With these documents, they can demonstrate that they are covered by the directive,” the statement reads.
As for Ukrainian refugees who do not have Ukrainian citizenship but are still staying in the country under the Directive since March 4, 2023, they must have a new O document from March 4, 2023.
In this regard, during this month, IND will send refugees a letter in English on how to collect the O document.
In addition, if Ukrainian refugees have been in the asylum procedure for more than six months, they can work from March 4 of the following year for 24 weeks in a period of 52 weeks.
Last week, the Italian government also decided to extend the period of temporary protection for displaced Ukrainians until March 3 of this year.
As the European Commission explains, as of March 2022, more than 170,000 Ukrainian refugees have entered Italy.
The authority also noted that people fleeing the war in Ukraine can continue to apply for temporary protection until the end of this period of extension of temporary protection. At the same time, those who have used it since September 30, 2022, can also apply for financial support.
The financial support is €300 per month for each family member for up to three months.
The Slovak government has also taken such a decision, thus extending the period of providing temporary housing for Ukrainian refugees until March 4, 2024.
Commenting on this decision, the Slovak Ministry of the Interior stated that persons with Slovak residence permits that are valid until March 4 of this year will continue to use them until March 4, 2024, without the obligation to take further administrative steps.
