The lifting of exit restrictions for young Ukrainian men is having a clear impact in the Czech Republic: the number of applications for temporary protection has more than doubled within a few weeks.
The Ukrainian government’s decision, effective since the end of August, to allow young men up to the age of 22 to leave the country is already having a significant impact in the Czech Republic. Within a few weeks, the number of Ukrainians seeking temporary protection here has more than doubled. According to the news portal novinky.cz, local authorities have had to increase their capacities as a result. The total number of Ukrainian war refugees in the Czech Republic is now approaching 400,000.
By early September, authorities in the Czech Republic were issuing an average of around 1,500 new protection visas per week. Since September, this figure has doubled to about 3,100.
The main reason is that young Ukrainians aged 18 to 22 are now, according to a government decision of 28 August, allowed to leave the country without restrictions. Currently, there is no conscription for men under 25.
In September, 13,500 new protection visas were issued in the Czech Republic – the highest monthly figure this year. The protection status allows Ukrainian refugees to reside legally in the EU; it is currently valid until March 2026 but is set to be extended until March 2027.
Majority Show Solidarity, but Concerns Over Burden Are Rising
The sharp increase comes at a time when a possible new government made up of ANO, the Motoristé movement, and the SPD is emerging – an alliance expected to adopt a considerably more restrictive course on refugee issues.
In July, a STEM survey showed that Czechs are increasingly weary of the war in Ukraine and scepticism towards refugees is growing, but the majority still show solidarity with people from Ukraine. Many Czechs, however, feel that the number of refugees is too high and fear economic burdens as well as an increased security risk for the country.
Number of People Seeking Protection Rising Sharply Again Since September
According to the latest figures, 395,669 Ukrainians currently have temporary protection in the Czech Republic, including 121,930 men aged between 18 and 65. At the beginning of August, the number of Ukrainian refugees was still 381,708, around 14,000 fewer.
In Germany, the number of people seeking protection has also risen sharply recently. According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the number of applications from young Ukrainian men there has increased tenfold, from around 100 to about 1,000 per week, since the exit restrictions were lifted.
