The number of Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic is rising again, with updated figures showing more than 366,000 people currently holding temporary protection status — an increase of 20,000 from last year and 35,000 from two years ago. Many of them are now contributing more to the Czech economy than they receive in support.
The data comes after a nationwide deadline for refugees to renew their temporary protection by the end of March. This annual process gives the Ministry of the Interior a clearer picture of who remains in the country.
“Most refugees arrived in the Czech Republic right after the start of the war, when tens of thousands were coming each day. Later, the number of new arrivals stabilized and has remained steady for a long time,” said Hana Mala, a representative of the Ministry of the Interior.
“Last year, the number of arrivals remained steady at about 1,500 people per week, and the situation is similar this year,” she added. Despite the weekly average, this still translates into tens of thousands of new arrivals each year.
Some of the refugee statistics can appear misleading at first glance. Because not everyone who registers stays long-term, the government may overestimate the active population. Others return to Ukraine or relocate to different countries, sometimes without notifying authorities.
This is why numbers often appear to dip sharply in April. In reality, this reflects the end-of-March deadline for protection renewals — after which authorities can more accurately assess who remains in the country.
Comparing April data year-over-year reveals a steady growth in the refugee population.
“We are still at a critical threshold. A large number of foreigners are facing shortages in housing, healthcare, and education. The Ministry of the Interior has long been drawing attention to this,” said Mala.
According to Eurostat data from December, the Czech Republic hosts the highest number of Ukrainian refugees per 1,000 residents among European nations, ahead of Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Slovakia.
Authorities say the country is bracing for the possibility of another wave of migration, especially if Ukraine’s front lines were to collapse, triggering another mass movement into the EU.
As of April 2025, the majority of refugees are between 18 and 65 years old and are economically active. Over 261,000 fall into this category — roughly 155,000 women and 106,000 men. The rest include nearly 89,000 children under 18 and close to 16,000 seniors over 65.
