Navigating Ukrainians’ Integration in Slovakia: Identification of Its Barriers and Facilitators

Andrej Findor, Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava
Michaela Šedovicová , Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava
Martino Comelli, Institute for Sociology, Slovak Academy of Sciences

Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), with a shorter immigration history, lags behind established EU migrant destinations in immigrants’ integration and migration policy development. As CEE countries transition into new immigration destinations, they face challenges in managing integration, adapting to demographic and labour market shifts, and shaping policies. This development has been exacerbated by the current Ukrainian migration in the region. Slovakia, despite having a high per capita rate of Ukrainian migrants, remains understudied in this context. This study addresses this critical knowledge gap in migration research, particularly in new immigration destinations, Ukrainian migrant integration, and female migration. The research questions focus on migrants’ living conditions and individual and contextual factors influencing their integration. This paper employs the first wave of the panel survey data collection on the Ukrainian migrant population in Slovakia. This data collection is the first one focused on their long-term integration instead of the management of their arrival and what was supposed to be a short-term refuge. Our results comprehensively describe complexity and variation within the Ukrainian population and examine the relationship between individuals’ characteristics and 1) their aspirations (migration plans, family reunification, fertility intentions), 2) integration patterns, and 3) subjectively assessed success of their integration efforts. We aim to explain the trends and disparities in Ukrainians' integration (or its lack) in Slovakia and how they depend on the current developments in Ukraine and broader Europe. Finally, we discuss similarities and differences in integration compared to findings from other similar countries (Poland, Austria, Czechia, Germany).

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 Presented in Session P4. Migration, Migrants, and Mobility