The number of Ukrainian refugees in the world (excluding Russia) as of April 30, 2026, amounted to 5.762 million people, of whom 5.213 million were recorded in Europe and 0.549 million outside of it, according to the May issue of the Monitoring of Main Economic Events of the Ministry of Economy and Environment of Ukraine, citing data from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
According to the document, in 2026 there is a certain stabilization of migration processes while maintaining a significant volume of forcibly displaced population. Most Ukrainian refugees remain in Germany (1.28 million people), Poland (987,000 people), the Czech Republic (384,700 people), Spain (263,800 people), the United Kingdom (263,800 people), and Romania (208,300 people). At the same time, according to the Ministry of Economy's calculations based on UN information, the negative migration balance from February 19 to April 30, 2026, was about 162,000 people, which is particularly due to the updating of migrant registries.
According to a UNHCR survey, the semi-annual peak of departures (50%) occurred in February-April 2022.
Among the regions of Ukraine, the largest population left Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Donetsk oblasts, and Kyiv. Among respondents in the host country, 46% are employed (51% were employed in Ukraine), and 17% are unemployed (5% were unemployed in Ukraine).
The ministry also notes that in January-May 2026, the number of registered unemployed in Ukraine decreased by 7,800 people compared to the same period in 2025, which is explained by ongoing migration processes and mobilization into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as such categories of persons are removed from the register. At the same time, the number of employed unemployed increased by 26,800 people.
The Ministry of Economy additionally drew attention to the fact that the decrease in the number of insured persons (employees) in April 2026 is not related to a reduction in employment, but to changes in reporting. Due to the introduction of quarterly calculations for individual entrepreneurs and self-employed persons starting January 1, 2026, the Pension Fund data for April were formed mainly for legal entities, which temporarily understates the indicator and makes correct month-to-month comparisons impossible.
