On 15 July 2025, the EU Council formally adopted the Commission’s proposal to extend the Temporary Protection Directive for another year. This means that the residence and work rights of Ukrainian nationals in the EU are secured until at least 4 March 2027. Member States will now need to implement the extension into national law.
The Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) was activated on 4 March 2022 in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine to provide immediate and temporary protection to those fleeing the conflict. The Directive grants beneficiaries residence rights, access to the labour market of the country where they reside, accommodation, social welfare assistance, medical care and other forms of support.
The Council notes that reasons for temporary protection persist and that the TPD extension is an appropriate and necessary response to the current situation. With the TPD extension, the EU aims to provide beneficiaries with access to a set of harmonised rights across the EU while mitigating a possible burden on Member States’ asylum systems.
Beneficiaries of the TPD include Ukrainian nationals and other groups as defined by Member States. Some Member States have already ended temporary protection for non‑Ukrainian beneficiaries, extending protection only for Ukrainian nationals beyond 4 March 2026. This is a result of some Member States signalling that they expect non-Ukrainian nationals to be able to return to their home country.
Employers should confirm whether their workforce will be impacted by the above changes, for example, where TPD status for certain groups has ended or will end after 4 March 2026. Beneficiaries should also check with their national authorities for the procedures to renew or extend their status, since renewal procedures differ from one Member State to another.
As the next step, each Member State must implement the extension into national law. The Council and Commission guidance also call on Member States to prepare sustainable solutions for beneficiaries once temporary protection ends, including transitional residence pathways, support for voluntary return, and continued integration measures.
Vialto Partners will monitor implementation across the EU and continue to share updates accordingly.
For a deeper discussion on the above, please reach out to your Vialto Partners point of contact, or alternatively:
Hugo Vijge
Director
Ajshe Miftari
Director
Fabian Gielis
Senior Associate
Marijan Vrhovac
Senior Associate
Marion Van Esch
Associate
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