Government says we should “fear” the Ukrainian guest workers, but they are actually leaving Hungary

There’s a stark contrast between the Hungarian government’s rhetoric on Ukrainian guest workers and the actual situation—especially when it comes to how many Ukrainians are coming to work in Hungary.

While officials warn that Ukraine’s potential EU accession would flood Hungary’s job market with Ukrainians “taking jobs from Hungarians,” the data paint a very different picture. In reality, more and more Ukrainian workers are opting for labor markets in Western European countries instead.

In 2016, the government enacted several legislative changes to mitigate Hungary’s labor shortage by easing the process for Ukrainian nationals to work in the country, according to mfor.hu. Roughly 5,000 of them received work permits under the program, with arrivals continuing to rise and registering a significant increase by 2019.

However, the government’s focus later shifted toward other countries—mainly in Asia—and immigration rules for guest workers were tightened. Starting in 2025, the number of annual work permits is capped at 35,000 and restricted to select countries only.

Due to their refugee status and the EU’s temporary protection scheme—effective since March 2022 and valid until March 2027—Ukrainian citizens have the freedom to work across the European Union. Despite government alarmism, most of them are making use of this opportunity to work in Western and Central Europe, where labor markets are more attractive.

According to 2024 data, guest workers from our Eastern neighbour still represent the largest group in Hungary, but their numbers are declining year over year. In contrast, the number of workers from countries like the Philippines continues to grow. Statistics from the National Employment Service show that from 2022 to 2023, the number of work permits issued to people from Ukraine fell by about 15,000. Meanwhile, the total number of permits issued rose—primarily benefiting Asian workers.