EU officially extends special protection status for Ukrainian refugees until March 2025

Refugees from Ukraine can enjoy special protection in the European Union at least until March 2025, reported the European Council.

The press service of the European Council announced that at the meeting of the ministers of internal affairs of the EU countries in Brussels on Thursday, at the proposal of the European Commission, a decision was made that Ukrainian refugees will be able to use the regime of special protection in the European Union at least until March 2025.

Before that, the term of the regime was set until March 2024.

The European Council emphasizes that the extension of the special protection regime will ensure the safety of more than four million Ukrainians who are in the EU.

The directive on temporary protection was first used in the EU after the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It enables refugees from Ukraine to obtain a temporary residence permit without the procedure for granting asylum without bureaucratic red tape. They also get the right to work, the right to send their children to school, and health insurance.

From December 1, refugees from Ukraine will receive the right to long-term stay in Japan with a work visa.