Temporary workers or full-fledged residents: how Ukrainians feel in Poland

Most Ukrainians in Poland have stable jobs, but only a small proportion feel fully integrated into local society. This poses risks for the Polish economy, especially in sectors with labor shortages. Find out what percentage of Ukrainians feel fully integrated and what consequences this has for Poland

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According to a study by Gremi Personal, although 80% of Ukrainians in Poland have stable jobs, only 11% feel fully integrated into Polish society. These figures show that a significant proportion of Ukrainian migrants perceive their stay in Poland as temporary.

The survey showed that 17.9% of Ukrainians plan to return home as soon as possible, and another 10.4% consider moving to Poland a short-term solution. At the same time, almost half of the respondents (45.3%) have not decided on their plans for the future, waiting to see how the situation develops. Only 13.2% said they were ready to stay permanently if conditions were favorable.

Main barriers to integration

Experts note that the main obstacles to full integration are social isolation and prejudice among the local population. Almost half of Ukrainians admit that they rarely or never communicate with Poles outside of work, and 69% have experienced prejudice or disrespect.

In order to retain Ukrainian workers, Poland must create conditions that will give them a sense of stability and acceptance in society.

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Ukrainians in the Polish labor market

At the end of 2022, Ukrainians remained the largest group of foreign workers in Poland, with nearly 746,000 people registered in the ZUS social security system. They are mostly employed in manufacturing, construction, industrial processing, transport, logistics, and agriculture.

Experts warn that the outflow of such workers could lead to economic shock: a decline in production, labor shortages, rising prices, reduced domestic consumption, and lower tax revenues.

For those planning their future in Europe, it is important to prepare in advance and take the new requirements into account. This can be facilitated by consultations with specialized lawyers who accompany the turnkey legalization process and help to avoid risks.

Reminder! Earlier, Polish President Karol Nawrocki submitted a draft law to the Sejm that significantly tightens the conditions for foreigners, including Ukrainians, applying for Polish citizenship. Find out how many years you now need to live in the country to be eligible for citizenship in our article.

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