War

Ukrainians are very active in the Polish labor market, but they increasingly do not declare their plans for the future

50% of Ukrainian pre-war migrants and 20% of refugees want to stay in Poland. This is evidenced by another study by the National Bank of Poland on migration processes in the country, Komersant ukrainskyi reports.

The report “Life and Economic Situation of Migrants from Ukraine in Poland in 2024” presents the results of a survey conducted among immigrants from Ukraine between May 6, 2024 and July 5, 2024, based on a national sample of 3760 respondents.

Employment and salary

The main source of income for immigrants from Ukraine is work. In the income structure of a pre-war migrant, salary accounts for about 90% of income on average, while for a refugee it is 76%.

The share of Ukrainians working or looking for work in Poland in 2024 is 78%. This figure is even higher than among Polish citizens. It is noted that 19% of refugees are unemployed, as a significant number of women looking after children are looking for part-time work, which is a problem given the low use of part-time contracts in the Polish economy.

“Poland is a country where the percentage of employment of Ukrainian refugees is higher compared to other European countries. And despite the fact that Polish employers are still experiencing a shortage of personnel for vacancies previously filled by Ukrainian men, the contribution of refugees to the development of the Polish economy last year amounted to about 1% of GDP,” said Mariana Semeniuk, recruitment director of the EWL Migration Platform, as quoted by RBC-Ukraine.

The housing situation of pre-war migrants and refugees is gradually converging, which indicates the ongoing integration of refugees.

Reality and plans

More and more immigrants do not declare plans for the future. Compared to previous surveys, the percentage of “hard to say” answers in the respondents’ stated plans for their residence has increased, both among pre-war immigrants and refugees.

The main stated reasons for a longer stay of Ukrainians in Poland are socio-economic factors, such as work and the ability to support a family.

Ukrainian migrants also support their relatives in Ukraine: 40% send money and 49% provide material assistance, primarily to family members.

The majority of immigrants from Ukraine are in favor of facilitating the legalization of long-term stay in Poland, and refugees also emphasize the needs related to language learning and employment.

Language and education

A study by the National Bank of Poland nevertheless states that knowledge of the Polish language has improved among both pre-war migrants and refugees, which is one of the manifestations of socio-economic integration.

More than 90% of Ukrainian children living in Poland have used the Polish education system. According to parents and guardians, the biggest difficulties for children during their stay in Poland are: lack of knowledge of Polish language – 36% of answers, lack of friends – 33% of answers, deterioration of living standards compared to the situation before the war – 29% of answers.