More and more Ukrainians work in Poland. They fill the gap left behind Polish emigrants.

The data of the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy show that in each year more and more Ukrainian citizens apply for legal work in Poland. Poland is becoming more and more attractive as a job market for foreigners. During the nine months of this year, they submitted 100 thousand applications for a residence permit – this is a third more than in the same period of 2015.

Experts and employees are glad to see this trend. Immigrants are slowly filling the gap left behind the Poles who emigrated, mainly to Great Britain.

Ukrainian citizens are most often hired for seasonal work in agriculture, but also more and more often for industry processing and construction work. On the list of jobs most often performed by Ukrainians in Poland are: housework, construction work, agriculture work, hotel work and gastronomy. Today these workers are much needed on the Polish labour market – they fill the gap in the Polish job market. On average, they earn around 2 thousand PLN.

Employers praise them and claim they are valuable to the economy. – There is a painful shortage of workers with respect to certain jobs. The deficit of car mechanics is around 60 thousand jobs, of both coaters and TIR truck drivers – around 30 thousand.

Why is there such a big influx of Ukrainians to Poland? This happens for several reasons. One of them is low unemployment, which in July fell to 8.6 percent, the employee market by the Vistula river and growing expectations of Poles, who want better jobs and better pay.

According to Manpower Group experts, more and more information pop up about Polish people not wanting to take up certain work (e.g. assistance jobs), especially if they do not come with high salary. That is why a lot of them decide to move abroad. Mainly in the west of the country – in Greater Poland, Lower Silesia and Higher Silesia – Poles say this type of work is not for them.

Legalising stay in Poland enables incomers to take up work. According to experts, this is beneficial to our country. This is confirmed by a report from International Monetary Fund, the key conclusion of which is that immigrants, regardless of their qualifications, contribute to an increase in the wealth of the countries that accept them.

Implications for Banking and Business

Developments in the Polish banking sector affect businesses operating in the country in several ways. Access to corporate banking services, credit availability, deposit rates, and payment infrastructure are all critical factors for companies — whether established Polish firms or foreign-owned entities entering the market.

For foreign entrepreneurs setting up operations in Poland, choosing the right banking partner is a strategic decision. Major Polish banks including mBank, ING Bank Śląski, Bank Millennium, PKO BP, and Santander Poland offer varying levels of service for international clients, including English-language online banking, multicurrency accounts, and dedicated relationship managers for corporate clients.

The Polish banking market is well-regulated by the KNF (Financial Supervision Authority) and participates in the EU deposit guarantee scheme (BFG — Bank Guarantee Fund), providing deposit protection up to EUR 100,000 per depositor per institution. This regulatory framework provides stability and confidence for businesses maintaining corporate funds in Polish banks.

If you are doing business in Poland or considering entering the Polish market, Zalewski Consulting can help. Learn more about our corporate tax advisory, or contact us for a free consultation.