Almost 1,000 Ukrainians have applied for asylum in Ireland, with more than 80 per cent succeeding in their application – twice the rate of other nationalities –, data from the Department of Justice shows.
The figures, provided to The Irish Times, show since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 until May 26th this year, a total of 969 Ukrainian nationals have applied for international protection. Some 77 applications from Ukrainians have been made this year.
“Since 2022, 367 decisions regarding international protection applications from Ukrainian nationals have been made,” a department spokesman said.
He said 83 per cent of these “resulted in the applicant being given a permission to remain in the State – generally refugee status”.
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“In 2022-2024, 217 decisions regarding Ukrainian applications for international protection were made.
“In 2025 to May 28th, a further 149 decisions have been made.”
While the more than 100,000 Ukrainian nationals here have temporary refugee status, providing them with the right to work and to study, school places and childcare, as well as heavily State-subsidised accommodation, their status is not guaranteed into the future.
In contrast, international protection guarantees the right to live and work here permanently, as well as to bring immediate family to live here.
The EU Temporary Protection Directive, introduced in March 2022, has been renewed annually. It remains unclear whether it will be further extended in March 2026.
Brian Killoran, co-ordinator of Ukraine Civil Society Forum, says increasing numbers of Ukrainians are asking about applying for international protection as they look to solidify their legal position in the country.
“Last year, a survey showed 53 per cent of people from Ukraine living here since 2022 wanted to stay,” he said. This represented an increase on the 41 per cent who expressed a wish to stay permanently the previous year.
“The longer they are here, they put down roots, children are in school, the more likely they are to want to remain here. They are increasingly asking about their options and one of those is international protection,” said Mr Killoran.
If a significant proportion were to apply in the coming year, “that could put unbearable pressure on the international protection system”, he warned.
“We need to know what will happen post-March 2026. Member states need to say what are the long-term plans.”
When people asked about applying for asylum, he said they were advised “it is far from guaranteed”.
He also said there was a potential “loss of rights” if the applicant was transferred out of the temporary protection system into the asylum application system.
These could include losing the right to work, to study and to live in their current accommodation, said Mr Killoran.
“They may find making an application for international protection disruptive to their life. We can’t say to people, ‘Don’t do it’ but we do advise people to get advice. An asylum application is not an easy route.
“Ultimately, the State needs to define post-temporary protection options. The priority is that they do that.
“Temporary protection was never meant to be a long-term measure, so bringing that to an end has to be done in a co-ordinated way,” said Mr Killoran.
