Special report „Ukrainian refugees in Poland”

We present to you a special report “Refugees from Ukraine in Poland”, which was created after analyzing the results of a sociological study conducted on March 23 – April 3, 2022 by the EWL Migration Platform and the East European Study of the University of Warsaw. 400 Ukrainian citizens who came to Poland after February 24, 2022, in due to the Russian invasion on Ukraine, were examined.

Poland and Ukraine: together for better or for worse

Ukrainian citizens have been supporting the Polish economy for many years. They fill staff shortages, contribute to the development of Polish enterprises and build Poland’s GDP. Social and economic ties, built over many years through economic migration, as well as the cultural and geographical proximity of our countries mean that for those fleeing the war Poland has become a place where they can count on a safe shelter, help and support.

^{Presentation of the Report “Refugees from Ukraine in Poland” (Photo: livefoto / PAP)}

Every third refugee from Ukraine declares they want to stay in Poland for longer. This means that their influx may support the Polish labour market also in the long term. On the one hand, due to reversed gender migration, we are facing a growing shortage of men ready to take up employment, on the other hand, there is a surplus of women who are persistently looking for a job. It is therefore necessary and urgent to develop specific solutions in order to adapt workplaces to the gender structure. In addition to providing a place to live, it is the guarantee of work and independence that is of major importance in the process of recovering a sense of stability and security for women fleeing the war.

How many refugees from Ukraine want to find employment in Poland?

Geographical proximity and length of the border line between Poland and Ukraine makes Poland, as a direct neighbour, the main destination of migration for Ukrainians fleeing the war. It is also significant that apart from the common border Ukraine is connected to Poland by cultural and linguistic proximity, and even before the outbreak of the war the citizens of this country would come to Poland in large numbers in search of work and a better life. This is the reason why Poland became the first, and often the final, stop for Ukrainians fleeing the war.

Will it be easy for refugees to find a job in Poland?

The vast majority of Ukrainian refugees intend to take up employment during their stay in Poland. However, poor knowledge of Polish, the gender structure of the refugees, as well as the necessity to provide care for their underage children may cause difficulties in finding their place on the Polish labour market. Especially if we take into account the fact that almost 70% of the refugees want to live in cities with more than 200 thousand inhabitants.

Easier access to social infrastructure in large towns and cities does not mean, however, that it will be equally easy to find a job or a flat there.