Poland: work destination for people from Ukraine

Official reports show that more and more people emigrate to Poland in search of work opportunities. Last year, Polish employers requested more employment permits than ever for prospective staff members from the East of Europe, mostly Ukraine.

Poland has for a long time been a destination for Ukrainians seeking jobs. Not only is it a neighbouring country, but the language barrier for Ukrainians is not a big obstacle. There are numerous workers and students from Ukraine speaking good Polish and the people wanting to learn the language find this is not a difficult challenge, as the two languages are related.

In 2016, authorities issued more than 123 thousand work permits allowing for permanent employment of foreigners. That means a sharp increase in comparison with 2015. More than 80 percent of the permits were issued to employees from Ukraine. Polish managers generally seek unskilled workers. Ukrainians and other non-EU citizens often work in agriculture and construction. Women often work as carers and cleaners. Hotel industry and gastronomy are also popular among immigrants. However, this may soon change as more and more companies experience trouble finding skilled professionals. It is very likely they turn East in search of specialists.

Employees from the East of Europe fill the gap that opened when Poles started emigrating to UK, Germany, and other Western countries in large numbers a few years ago. Unemployment rate in Poland is low which makes ordinary people happy, but experts warn that some companies may experience shortage of workers. What is more, Polish government has recently lowered the retirement age, which means the working-age population in the country will decrease.

There are of course people who do not welcome workers from the East. They say foreign labour force keeps wages down, to the detriment of Poles. Others say without Ukrainians many would be forced to close their business. At this moment, it seems that the influx of immigrants from the Eastern Europe will continue. What is more, a growing number of Ukrainians start their businesses in our country.