Spain Has Granted Over 130,000 Temporary Protection to Those Displaced by War in Ukraine

According to the government, since the procedure was activated on March 10, the Office for Asylum and Refugees (OAR) of the Ministry of the Interior and the National Police have processed and granted a total of 130,220 protections for Ukrainian refugees, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.

“65.5 per cent of the people who have obtained temporary protection are women. By age group, 36.1 per cent are under 18 years old, 24.4 per cent are between 19 and 35 years old, 32.9 per cent are between 36 and 64, and 6.6 per cent are over 65 years,” the statement issued by the government reads.

As the government explains, all protections include a residence permit and a work permit for those of adult age.

In addition, the General Directorate of Traffic has decided that displaced persons receiving temporary protection can also legally use their driving license in Spain for at least one year.

This year, the Asylum and Refugee Office celebrate three decades of its activity, which, however, has been faced throughout the year 2022, with the processing of these 130,220 temporary protection files filed by Ukrainian immigrants who have arrived in Spain without any impact in their international protection registers.

“The Asylum and Refugee Office of the Ministry of the Interior and the National Police has processed requests for temporary protection in 70 police stations and four reception and shelter centres set up throughout Spain. All requests are processed and resolved within a maximum period of 24 hours,” the statement noted.

On June 21, the Spanish government revealed that since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Spain had provided temporary protection to more than 124,000 Ukrainian refugees. As a result, Spain ranks fourth in Europe regarding the number of temporary protections granted at the end of May.

Through a statement, the government emphasized that in the reception system, the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration has served about 122,000 refugees, three times the normal care volume for refugees in a standard year. Meanwhile, about 21,000 more refugees remain in the system’s reception places.

The government also explains that taking into account the changing profile of this population from that of migratory movements, where 34 per cent of them are minors, and 73 per cent of adults are women, their needs have been met without incident.