Since 24 February 2022, Estonia has received a high number of refugees from Ukraine. From the outset of the war, the Government of Estonia and civil society have responded with steadfast solidarity towards refugees from Ukraine, including by providing access to employment and public services. However, according to a protection monitoring survey carried out by UNHCR, the challenges refugees from Ukraine face include access to documentation, access to work, and access to healthcare.
Since 2023, Estonia has been included in the Ukraine Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRP), complementing the government-led response. In 2024, a new plan was launched, coordinated by UNHCR and developed by 14 humanitarian organizations.
Following the increase in refugee and migrant arrivals via Belarus to Lithuania, Latvia and Poland in 2021, Estonia has adopted amendments to the State Border Act which allow for denial of access to the asylum procedure in situations of mass influx.