EU to extend Ukraine refugee welcome scheme to 2024

The European Commission announced Monday it intends to extend the EU's directive on offering protection to Ukrainian refugees until March 2024.

EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said Ukrainians will also no longer need to "de-register" from the scheme should they choose to go home and then have to flee again.

Until now, refugees going back to Ukraine had to de-register from the mechanism before leaving European Union territory, forcing them to redo the whole process in case they had to come back.

"You can keep your temporary protection that you have received in a member state," said Johansson, who said this change had come in response to many Ukrainians being "afraid" to relinquish it.

According to the Commission, 4.2 million Ukrainians are currently under the umbrella of this protection that gives them accommodation, support, health care, education access and the right to enter into the EU job market.

They European Commission also presented a "EU talent pool" plan, aimed at helping Ukrainian refugees to find jobs inside the European Union during their stay.

EU Commissioner for Jobs Nicolas Schmit said 370,000 Ukrainians under temporary protection were registered as employed, while 250,000 were looking for jobs.

The plan should help national employment services, private employment agencies and employers across the EU to share data and facilitate the hiring of Ukrainian refugees.