More than 70,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Lithuania since the full-scale Russian invasion. Some of them have returned home, others travelled on to other countries, and the rest are trying to integrate into Lithuanian society. Some find it easier than others.
Polina Pavlenko came from Kharkiv to Vilnius at the beginning of the invasion. She immediately started looking for a job.
“I am an economist-accountant with two university degrees. In Kharkiv, I worked as a chief accountant in a large company, while here in Vilnius I am an unskilled worker. Just being called that makes me very sad, but I had no other choice,” Polina says.
She works in a furniture factory in Vilnius. She says she tried to find a qualified job and contacted the Employment Service, but because she did not speak Lithuanian and did not know local laws, she was only offered factory work.
Polina says that at first the change from her employment in Ukraine was very painful. She used to work in an office eight hours a day – and now works 12 hours a shift assembling parts in the factory.
“It’s not a dream job, but it’s a way to make a living,” Polina smiles, adding that she doesn’t believe she could fully integrate into Lithuanian society.
“I’ll tell you honestly: before the war, I didn’t ever think about emigrating. And now I want to return home with all my being,” she says. “I am grateful to Lithuania for welcoming us here, for helping us, but nobody needs Ukrainians here. We are strangers among our own.”
Without language proficiency, most Ukrainians are barred from skilled jobs, she adds. “And when you don’t have a job you like, what kind of integration can you talk about?”
Willingness is key
Another Ukrainian, Valeria, completely disagrees and says that she encountered no problems in Lithuania finding a job she likes.
“I am a marketing specialist, albeit a beginner. When I came to Lithuania, I knew some English, but I didn’t speak any Lithuanian. However, this did not stop me from finding a great job in a multinational company in Vilnius. Yes, it took a few months, but there are many companies in Lithuania that employ Ukrainians. The most important thing is to be willing,” says Valeria.
She adds that even when the war is over, she plans to stay, because she likes Vilnius and has had no problems integrating.
“I have a job here that I love, a city that has become my home, friends, and various events that I attend. I have no intention of returning to Dnipro. I want to build my life here. I think that Ukrainians in Lithuania have all the conditions to integrate successfully,” Valeria says.
The Ministry of Social Security and Labour has reported that Ukrainian refugees in Lithuania have paid more than 58 million euros in taxes in the year since the start of the war in Ukraine.
This includes self-employed Ukrainians like Anna. She is a beautician and works in a beauty salon.
“I work under a patent. Firstly, the tax office helped me a lot with the paperwork, secondly, I didn’t have to pay taxes in the first year of my work, and thirdly, Ukrainian beauticians are highly valued here,” says Anna from Kyiv.
Although she had no problems finding employment, she does not intend to stay in Lithuania because, says Anna, she has not managed to integrate into society and feel at home.
“Yes, I have a lot of clients, a lot of work, a lot of money, but it doesn’t feel like you’re at home. And it’s not the fault of the Lithuanians or the lack of help. It’s about my inner state,” she says. “You need Lithuanian practically everywhere, it’s a different culture, different customs. It’s impossible to get used to it. As soon as Ukraine wins, I am taking the first bus home.”
Over half found a job
In May, the Lithuanian Employment Service conducted an anonymous survey of Ukrainian refugees. Thirty-four percent of the respondents said they planned to live and work in Lithuania in the future.
The majority said that Lithuanians received them well or very well (97 percent).
“The mobilisation of society has helped people fleeing the war to settle in Lithuania, so now it is important to talk about their long-term employment prospects. The integration of Ukrainians has already helped to reduce the shortage of skilled workers in the labour market, which we see as a new opportunity against the backdrop of an ageing society,” commented Giedrė Sinkevičė, deputy director of the Employment Service.
Every third respondent (34 percent) saw their future in Lithuania, while a year ago only every sixth respondent (17 percent) did. Last year, every second respondent (52 percent) wanted to return to Ukraine as soon as possible, while this year only every fourth respondent (26 percent) did.
More than half, 53.5 percent, of respondents managed to find a job. Most Ukrainians say they are satisfied with their working conditions, although half would like to be paid more.
Dearth of language courses
Lithuanian language skills are key to better integration, believes Sinkevičė.
“Not knowing Lithuanian has been the biggest problem preventing people from entering the labour market, studying or working in skilled jobs. Now we can offer courses to all foreigners who want to build their future in Lithuania,” said the deputy director of the Employment Service.
However, there is usually a catastrophic shortage of places on such courses, so sometimes people spend months on waiting lists.
“I have registered four times for free courses organised by the Red Cross, but four times I was turned down because there were no spots left. A year has passed, and I only got my turn a month ago, but I am already attending other courses,” says Tamara from Ukraine.
Various Lithuanian organisations offer free Lithuanian language courses for Ukrainians, but there are only a limited number of places in the groups, and private schools and tutors charge 15 euros per lesson. Few can afford to pay that.
Not knowing the Lithuanian language is a major barrier to successful integration, Ukrainians themselves believe.
“I don’t need to take the Lithuanian language exam because I don’t work in the service sector, but I am studying Lithuanian for myself,” says Maria. “I want to go to the theatre, I want to go to concerts and exhibitions, I want to live a cultural life. […] For me, this is probably the main problem of integration. But it is not easy to learn such a difficult language, even though I try very hard.”
Problems with medical care
Healthcare is another area where not knowing the language and the inner workings of the system limits full access.
In a survey conducted by the Red Cross, only 60 percent of respondents were aware of their right to free access to essential medical services. A third of the respondents who have sought medical treatment said that their needs were not fully met. The main reasons for it, they said, were the language barrier, rude behaviour of medical staff, refusal to continue with necessary treatment, or being asked to pay for services.
Lidia, a Ukrainian woman, tells LRT.lt that she heard many stories from Ukrainians about their problems when seeking medical assistance.
“I won’t hide that the clinic I visit has a very greedy attitude towards Ukrainians. If you don’t speak Lithuanian, if you say that you are from Ukraine, or if you don’t understand something, you immediately become second-class,” says Lidia, although she refuses to name the clinic or give examples of rude behaviour.
Meanwhile, Volodymyr from Mariupol says he has never had a problem with accessing treatment in medical institutions, even though the overall healthcare system in Lithuania, including information about services, “has room for improvement”.
“Compared to healthcare in Ukraine, there is nothing to complain about. All doctors are excellent specialists, all in their place. Just how to get to them?” says Volodymyr. “When we arrived, they told us that medical services were free, then when we registered with the doctor, they told us that there would be a fee for the consultation, and when we came, they said it will be free.”
Getting an appointment is particularly hard and can take six months, adds Volodymyr. “I am an elderly person with many illnesses. I would like more help from the state in this area,” he says.
Information on Facebook
According to the Red Cross survey, the most popular channels for Ukrainians to find information are social networks. They are looking for information on legal issues related to their status in Lithuania, finding a job or housing, medical services, and obtaining various documents. Still, more than one-third of the respondents indicated that they do not understand the information they receive.
“It seems that in Lithuania the state institutions themselves do not have all the information,” says Polina Pavlenko. “You call the Migration Service, they tell you one thing, you go to another employee and they give you the opposite information. It is the same situation with doctors and pharmacies. And when I had to register my child for school, I called and went to different institutions and got different information everywhere.”
A lot of information is available only in Lithuanian and automated translators are not completely accurate, she adds. “I think this is a big gap in organising the successful integration of Ukrainians in Lithuania,” believes Pavlenko.
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