This press release is based on data collected in Ukraine as part of WAPOR's 2025 Global Report on Important Topics (GRIT) – Migration study. The survey instrument was developed by researchers from the GRIT Committee of the World Association for Public Opinion Research (WAPOR).
The survey was conducted by the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine using its newly established CATI facility. To reflect the specific context of migration processes in Ukraine, additional questions were introduced by Serhii Dembitskyi and Olga Burova (Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine).
Each year, WAPOR members participate in a global study with a new topic relevant to the UN SDGs. Find out more here: https://wapor.org/publications/global-report-on-important-topics-grit-report/
WAPOR (the World Association for Public Opinion Research) is an international professional association whose members recognise the importance of public opinion in shaping and serving society.
Research Parameters
The survey results represent the adult population of Ukraine (aged 18 and older), excluding the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the temporarily occupied territories of Southern and Eastern Ukraine.
The survey was conducted using computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) based on a random sample of mobile phone numbers.
The fieldwork took place from December 4 to December 17, 2025.
The sampling error for a sample of 1007 respondents, with a 95% confidence level and a design effect of 1.1, does not exceed 3.2%.
Key Findings
1. Perceived impact of migration
An absolute majority of Ukrainians believe that people leaving Ukraine brings either some harm (26%) or significant harm (34%) to the country. At the same time, a relatively large group of respondents (22%) sees neither benefits nor harm in Ukrainians moving abroad.
When evaluating the consequences of people coming to live in Ukraine, respondents tend to emphasize benefits.
In the case of people from other countries (non-Ukrainians), respondents more often mention some benefit (42%) rather than significant benefit (14%).
In contrast, the return of Ukrainians who come back to the country is viewed very positively: two-thirds of respondents (67%) see significant benefits, and another 22% report some benefits.
2. Perceived reasons for migration
Among the main reasons why Ukrainians leave the country, respondents most often mention:
• lack of security (51%)
• economic circumstances (23%)
• political circumstances (15%)
In the current context, both economic and political factors are largely perceived as deriving from the wartime security situation.
Regarding foreigners who come to live in Ukraine, respondents believe that immigration is mainly driven by:
• economic reasons (37%)
• family reunification (20%)
• political circumstances (11%)
In this case, economic migration and family reunification are perceived as closely linked.
3. Perceptions of migration as a global phenomenon
When evaluating migration as a broader phenomenon, respondents tend to agree that:
• migration is an important issue in the modern world (58%)
• migrants face increasing difficulties (64%)
At the same time, only a small proportion of respondents (13%) believe that Ukraine prevents migrants from entering the country.
Overall, Ukrainian society tends to believe that although migration presents challenges globally, Ukraine itself is not part of this problem in terms of accepting immigrants.
4. Attitudes toward immigrants in Ukraine
The study paid significant attention to immigration and immigrants in Ukraine.
When evaluating immigration in general, respondents tend to agree that:
• immigrants are treated well in Ukraine (70%)
• immigration will increase in the future (61%)
At the same time, and quite predictably, a much smaller share of respondents (22%) agree that it is easy to immigrate to Ukraine without documents.
This perception is consistent both with the wartime situation in the country and may also indicate selective attitudes toward which migrants Ukrainians believe should be accepted.
In terms of stereotypes about immigrants, a majority of Ukrainians tend to agree with positive stereotypes (56–63%), while a smaller proportion agrees with negative stereotypes (30–42%).
When respondents are categorized according to their agreement with both positive and negative stereotypes, three broad groups emerge:
• positive attitudes toward immigrants — 52%
• mixed attitudes — 27%
• negative attitudes — 21%
Among them, 43% support positive stereotypes and reject negative ones, while 15% hold the opposite views.
5. Migration intentions
Despite the widespread perception that many Ukrainians are leaving the country to live abroad (86% of respondents believe this is common), only about 10% report personal plans to leave Ukraine within the next three years.
However, this intention varies significantly by age and gender.
Among young men aged 18–29, the share reaches 23%, whereas among men aged 56 and older it drops to only 3%.
Age differences are also observed among women, although they are considerably smaller, with the highest proportion not exceeding 12%.
Full presentation here.