Temporary protection - Everaert Advocaten Immigration Lawyers

_{Last update: 24 December 2025}

Who is covered by the Temporary Protection Directive?

People of Ukrainian nationality who:
- Have resided permanently in Ukraine on or after 23 February 2022;
- Between 26 November 2021 and 24 February 2022, they fled Ukraine as tensions increased;
- Already resided in the Netherlands before November 27, 2021;
People of a nationality other than Ukrainian or stateless persons, who:
- Had an asylum permit in Ukraine on 23 February 2022;
- Held a permanent residence permit in Ukraine on 23 February 2022
Family members of the aforementioned persons:
- Spouse or partner or with whom a durable relationship is maintained on 24 February 2022
- Minor unmarried children
- Other close family members who were living with the family before 24 February 2022 and who are fully or mostly dependent

Temporary protection for people with a temporary permit in Ukraine

On 4 March 2024, the protection for third-country nationals who had a temporary residence permit in Ukraine during the Russian invasion finally ended. The so- called “freezing measure” ended on September 4, 2025.

However, it may still be the case that people whose temporary protection has already expired will still retain their rights as temporary protection, including the right to work, even after the end of the freezing measure. This is usually related to the question of whether they still have ongoing proceedings in court. This varies from person to person. We can give advise on your specific situation.

Duration of the temporary protection

The temporary protection took effect on 4 March 2022. At that time, it was assumed that the maximum duration for temporary protection would be three years. The European Commission has said that it will interpret the Temporary Protection Directive in such a way that the protection can be extended by one year after those three years. Therefore, the current temporary protection is valid until 4 March 2026. This will be extended until 4 March 2027. After that date, the Dutch government wants to provide displaced persons with a so-called “transition document”. This is a residence permit that is granted on the condition that the displaced persons withdraw their asylum application.

Procedure and right to work

Displaced persons from Ukraine can register in the Personal Records Database (BRP). They will receive a BSN number when they register in the BRP. They can then report to the IND for the issuance of a residence sticker. This allows displaced persons to work in paid employment. Employers must report this to the UWV (the Labour Directorate) at least two working days before the start of the work. If the employer does not report, this can lead to a fine under the Foreign Nationals Employment Act. The notification form can be found here (in Dutch).

The exemption for applying for a work permit only applies to the performance of paid employment. For self-employment you need a self-employed residence permit or the client must have a work permit.