Human Capital Loss Among Belarusian and Ukrainian Migrants to the EU

This policy brief examines the underutilization of human capital among involuntary migrants from Ukraine and Belarus in Poland and Lithuania. Focusing on those who migrated after 2020 (Belarus) and 2022 (Ukraine), the brief investigates the factors influencing the conversion of their pre-migration skills into gainful employment in their host countries. Our findings show that despite many migrants possessing high levels of education and professional qualifications, structural barriers and low convertibility of their skills hinder their full labor market integration. This underutilization of skills not only limits migrants’ professional growth and earning potential but also deprives host countries of valuable skills and potential economic gains.