Due to the full-scale war, 7% of Ukrainians left their permanent place of residence and have not returned, 18% moved but returned, and 73% did not leave their homes, according to a study by the EBA.
Among the business community, represented by employees of EBA member companies, 48% remained at their permanent residence, 40% moved but have already returned, and 10% have left and not yet returned. At the same time, 11% of the businesses that left the country intend to return within a year. The number of those who think they are most likely to leave permanently has halved over the past year, from 22% in 2023 to 11%.
Most EBA member companies’ employees are currently located in Poland, Germany, Spain, and the Czech Republic.
According to the survey participants, security and economic factors will primarily dictate the decision to return home. In particular, 79% are ready to return after the end of the war, 57% – in the absence of hostilities and the threat of shelling, 29% – on the condition of decently paid work in Ukraine, and 21% – in the event of an increase in the standard of living in Ukraine.