MOLDOVA PROTECTION PROFILING & MONITORING FACTSHEET

Profiles, Needs & Intentions of Refugees from Ukraine

Overview Displacement patterns Situation in host country Intentions

# of respondents
To strengthen and promote an evidence-based protection response, UNHCR and
its partners in Moldova have been implementing a Protection Profiling and
Monitoring exercise to regularly collect and analyze data about the profiles, needs 4,552
and intentions of refugees from Ukraine and monitor changes over time. This
dashboard presents the main results based on 4,552 interviews conducted
between M  ay and mid-August 2022. Place of interview

Transit centers 40%

Methodology
Interviews have been conducted at border crossing points (23%), reception and transit Assistance points 28%
centres (40%), collective sites (6%), and assistance points in major cities (28%).  
  Border point 23%
Trained enumerators from UNHCR and partners digitally collect the data through Kobo
Toolbox, which is safely stored in UNHCR server.   Collective sites 6%
 
While respondents are randomly selected to reduce bias, non-probability sampling is Other 2%
used and results should be considered indicative, meaning they cannot necessarily be
extrapolated to the population of refugees from Ukraine as a whole. The results reflect Private accomm. 2%
refugees’ situation and intentions at the time of data collection. 

RESPONDENT PROFILE

97% of respondents are citizens of Ukraine. Most are women (75%), holding higher levels of education (36%) with
university or higher degrees and 22% with vocational training) and with diverse professional experiences, particularly in
services and trade related sectors.  

Nationality Age group and gender Education level

97 % Female Male
Secondary 37%
of respondents were Ukrainian nationals 60 + 16% 6%
University 28%

Vocational 25%
Gender 35 - 59 41% 14%
No education 4%

75 % 18 - 34 18% 6% Primary 3%
of respondents were females Post university 3%

Acknowledgements Top occupational sectors Employment status before

leaving Ukraine
We are grateful for the extensive
involvement and support of UNHCR’s Wholesale & retail 10%
partners, in particular: INTERSOS, Law Education 9% Employed 67%
Center of Advocates (CDA), REACH,
UNHCR Help Desk staff, and Charity Centre Construction 7%
Retired 17%
for Refugees in Moldova.   Agriculture 6%
 
Healthcare 5% Housekeeping 9%
We are also grateful for the support of local
authorities, civil society, international Hotel & restaurant 4% Unemployed 6%
organizations and donors. Most importantly,
UNHCR would like to acknowledge the Social services 4%
Student 1%
resilience and strength of refugees from Tourism 3%
Ukraine, who continue to share with us their
challenges, fears and hopes.  Beauty salon 3%
Published August, 2022

UNHCR Regional Bureau for Europe | www.unhcr.org/europe | UNHCR Operational Portal for the Ukraine Emergency | rbeext@unhcr.org
 MOLDOVA PROTECTION PROFILING & MONITORING FACTSHEET
Profiles, Needs & Intentions of Refugees from Ukraine

Overview Displacement patterns Situation in host country Intentions

Our findings show that the majority (82%) of the refugees currently Family separation
in Moldova are female, children, and elderly persons which is in-line
with the statistics figures presented by the Government of Moldova.
The majority of respondents (66%) reported being separated from 67 % separated from other family members
some of their immediate family members, with primary reason being
the restriction of freedom of movement for men due to martial law.  
Separation reasons
   
Out of 66% of respondents who are not traveling alone, 91% are
traveling with immediate family members, in some cases with Did not want to leave 51%
extended family members (6%), and in rare cases with friends or
acquaintance. As could be anticipated due to proximity to Moldova, Military conscription 50%
the most reported oblasts of origin in Ukraine were Odeska (46%) Unable to move/travel 31%
and Mykolaivska (20%) - among the most affected areas that are
still experiencing ongoing international armed conflict. Other 5%

Travelling with* Travelling with unrelated Internally displaced before

children leaving Ukraine
66 %
of respondents travelled accompanied
No Yes
22 %
Date of departure
Among those who travelled
accompanied, 90% were displaced with 94% 26%
their immediate family.
16% 18%
10% 11% 10%
Close family 91% 7%
Documents carrying during
Extended family 6% travel*
h il y e ly st
u… arc Apr Ma Jun Ju ugu
ebr M A
Pet 3% F
National passport 95%

Friends 3% Birth certificate 18%

Top 10 places of origin
Other 3% Id Card 15%

No document 0% Odeska 46%

Neighbours 1%
Mykolaivska 20%

Vinnytska 8%
Immediate family age group Passport type
and gender** Kharkivska 5%

Female Male Biometric 69% Kyiv city 4%

12% 5% Donetska 4%
60 + Internal 25%

36% 13% Khersonska 3%

18 - 59 Non-biometric 6%
Dnipropetrovska 2%
5 - 17 13% 13%
Kyivska 1%
0-4 3% 5%
Luhanska 1%

** including the respondent

The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
* Multiple responses were possible, so percentages can go over 100% when added.

UNHCR Regional Bureau for Europe | www.unhcr.org/europe | UNHCR Operational Portal for the Ukraine Emergency | rbeext@unhcr.org
 MOLDOVA PROTECTION PROFILING & MONITORING FACTSHEET
Profiles, Needs & Intentions of Refugees from Ukraine

Overview Displacement patterns Situation in host country Intentions

The majority of respondents are staying in hosted or rented accommodation (65%), while Respondents with
28% are still staying in reception or transit centres. Around 15% of respondents have relatives in Moldova
relatives in Moldova. While only around 4% of respondents live in refugee accommodation
centres (collective sites), this population represents those who are among the most
vulnerable. The top three urgent needs reported by respondents are cash,
15 %
accommodation and healthcare. Respondents report preferring to receive information on
financial aid services and work opportunities, indicating over the phone as preferred
modality. 

Current accomodation Urgent needs*

1st choice 2nd choice 3rd choice

Hosting accommodation 43%
Reception centre 22%
Cash 56%
Rented accommodation 22%
Accommodation 29%
Collective site 4%
Healthcare 26%
Transit centre 4%
Material assistance 25%
Other 3%
Planned site
Food 22%
1%
I do not have anywhere to stay 0%
Employment 21%
Family reunification 12%
Information about services 11%
Respondents with at least 1 family member at
Legal advice 9%
heightened risks
Transportation 9%
Disability 12% Education 8%
Medical condition 10% A way to contact my family 6%
Older persons 9% Psychosocial support 3%

Information needs* Preferred information channel* Preferred social

media channel*
Financial aid 59% By phone 53% 1st choice 2nd choice
Medical care 32% Social media 37%
Legal status 28% Organisation websites 18% Viber 43%
Job opportunities 26% In person information 16%
Telegram 23%
Accomodation 17% Government websites 13%
Facebook 19%
Education 12% From friends/family 9%
Documentation 11% Radio 4%
Whatsapp 12%

Psychological support 5% Written information 2% Instagram 3%

How to claim asylum 4% Other 1%
Contact with relatives 3%

Other 3%

* Multiple responses were possible, so percentages can go over 100% when added.

UNHCR Regional Bureau for Europe | www.unhcr.org/europe | UNHCR Operational Portal for the Ukraine Emergency | rbeext@unhcr.org
 MOLDOVA PROTECTION PROFILING & MONITORING FACTSHEET
Profiles, Needs & Intentions of Refugees from Ukraine

Overview Displacement patterns Situation in host country Intentions

While the findings vary based on the place of the interview, more than half of PLANNING TO STAY IN CURRENT
the respondents (53%) report plans to stay in their current host country in the HOST COUNTRY
near future, with safety, family ties and language as the main reasons. While
the language is one of the key drivers of staying in Moldova, employment
Why: Reasons to stay
opportunities influence respondents’ decision to move to other host countries.
Only 9% of respondents reported willingness to return to Ukraine indicating
their expectations of improved situation as the main factor, and around 20% of Safety 57%
respondents were uncertain about their plans. 
Family ties 23%
Asylum procedure 6%
Near future intentions Language 6%
Community ties 4%
Stay in host country 53%
Other 3%
Don't know 20% Employment 1%
Move to another host country 18% Advised 1%
Return to Ukraine 9% Education 0%

PLANNING TO RETURN TO UKRAINE

Why: Reasons to return When Concerns about returning*

Yes No
Improved situation 26% Uncertain 79%

Reunite with family 17% This month 15%

12%
Family visit 11%
After a month 7%
Financial reasons 11%

Advised by family 5%
Where: % returning to the
Family evacuation 5% same Oblast 88%

Employment 2%
96 %
PLANNING TO MOVE TO ANOTHER HOST COUNTRY

Why: Main reasons to move When Where to: Top 5 destination

Family ties 33% This month 74% Germany 49%

Safety 32%
Uncertain 23% France 5%
Employment 18%
After a month 4% Romania 4%
Asylum procedure 5%
Education 4% Norway 4%

Community ties 3% Italy 3%

Advised 2%
Other 2% * Multiple responses were possible, so percentages can go over 100% when added.
**The analysis in this section excludes respondents interviewed on the same day they were departing
Language 1% from their current host country

UNHCR Regional Bureau for Europe | www.unhcr.org/europe | UNHCR Operational Portal for the Ukraine Emergency | rbeext@unhcr.org