Ukrainian refugees should have another year to master the Lithuanian language — Education Ministry
Lithuania’s Education, Science, and Sport Ministry has proposed to allow Ukrainian refugees who have taken a job more time to master the Lithuanian language, LRT reported.
“The category of state language knowledge is not to be applied for three years for foreigners who have been granted temporary protection in the Republic of Lithuania from the moment it came into force", the Ministry proposed.
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The current resolution says about a two-year term.
"We propose to extend the exemption from the requirement to know the state language for this category of people in order to ensure as many Ukrainian citizens, having been granted temporary protection, the opportunity to work, support themselves and their families, (and) pay taxes until they return to Ukraine" said Education, Science and Sports the Deputy Minister Agne Kudarauskiene.
The specified point applies to those persons who have been granted temporary protection, and to those who have been granted it, but they have already acquired a new status, for example, a work permit in Lithuania, she added.
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"Efforts will continue to be made to create favorable opportunities for Ukrainians to learn the Lithuanian language at the expense of funds financed by the Employment Service or through the system of individual learning profiles, in order to facilitate their integration into the labor market and the opportunity to obtain more highly qualified positions," the ministry said in a statement.
Foreigners with temporary protection are provided with a very limited amount of social support, so creating conditions for work will ensure that their needs are met and their emotional state is better.
Lithuanian language tests for Ukrainians were planned to be conducted in March 2024.
If employers are unable to provide a certificate showing that their employee has passed the language exam, then the Language Inspectorate and the municipal bodies responsible for the preservation of the language will be forced to take measures, the Inspectorate said in March 2023.
These plans led to criticism outburst from Lithuanian government.
Almost 30,000 Ukrainians have been employed in Lithuania since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Social Security and Labor Ministry said.
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