In Germany, the Premier of Bavaria and leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU), Markus Söder, has proposed the cancellation of the "citizen’s aid" paid to Ukrainian refugees. This aid is provided to unemployed and low-income individuals in Germany. This is reported by G.Business, with reference to Tagesschau.

Speaking in an interview with ZDF, Söder expressed his belief that "no other country in the world" supports Ukrainian refugees as Germany does. According to him, this is one of the reasons why "so few Ukrainians are employed," despite their high levels of education.

As reported by the German Federal Employment Agency, the employment rate among Ukrainian refugees stood at 34.9% as of May 2025. This is significantly lower than expectations, as earlier forecasts suggested that after 10 years of integration, the employment rate would reach just 55%. The Institute for Employment Research explained that one of the main differences between Ukrainian refugees and others is that most of them are women and children fleeing from the war.

Unlike other asylum seekers, Ukrainian refugees are entitled to receive "citizen’s aid" (Bürgergeld), which is intended for the unemployed and those who are unable to support themselves financially.

For instance, a single refugee can receive up to €460 per month in aid. The "citizen’s aid" provides €563.

The Christian Democratic Union (CDU/CSU) and the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) reached an agreement that, starting from April 1, this "citizen’s aid" will no longer be granted to newly arrived Ukrainian refugees. The change was justified partly by the fact that Ukrainians are immediately eligible for a residence permit and do not have to wait for a decision, unlike asylum seekers.

In 2024, approximately 5.5 million people received "citizen’s aid," including minors. Of these, 47.4% were non-German passport holders, with Ukrainian refugees receiving a total of €6.3 billion in assistance.

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