Netherlands urges male Ukrainian refugees to pay for their own housing

According to Dutch public broadcaster NOS, Keijzer made the remarks in response to urgent appeals from the Red Cross and local municipalities, which are struggling to house a growing number of Ukrainians. She described it as “entirely reasonable” for employed men with an income to cover their own housing costs and suggested they could also ask their employers for assistance.

“I don’t think it’s harsh to ask those who fled the war to arrange their own housing,” NOS quoted Keijzer.

She noted that Ukrainians already receive state assistance in the Netherlands and, under European Union agreements, are entitled to housing and education. She added that Ukrainian mothers with children will continue to receive full support.

About 97,000 living spaces designated for Ukrainians in the Netherlands are currently fully occupied. Each month, hundreds of new refugees arrive; in August, the Red Cross registered a record 435 new arrivals.

Under EU rules, Ukrainians in the Netherlands can stay through March 2027 and are eligible for housing, medical care, and education.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, about 4.7 million Ukrainians have sought refuge abroad, mostly in Germany and Poland. By population proportion, Czechia hosts the most Ukrainians, while the Netherlands accommodates roughly seven per 1,000 residents, according to NOS.