Where do Ukrainians work? “Usually where Poles don't want to”

Ukrainians, or foreigners in general, work primarily where Poles no longer want to work, Piotr Rogowiecki, an expert from Employers of Poland, told PAP. He emphasized that any changes in employment regulations should be communicated early and clearly.

The Act on Assistance to Ukrainian Citizens, passed in 2022, gave refugees from that country free access to the Polish labor market – they do not need permits or declarations to work legally in Poland. It is enough for Ukrainians who have arrived in Poland since February 24, 2022 to apply for a PESEL number and their stay in our country is considered legal.

The Special Act was amended many times. Recent changes include: receiving family benefits, e.g. 800 plus, was made dependent on employment. In turn, from January 1, 2026, a foreigner applying for a PESEL number will have to appear at the office in person.

The current provisions of the Special Act, which were signed by President Karol Nawrocki on September 26, will be valid until March 4, 2026. As announced by the head of the presidential office, Zbigniew Bogucki, this is the last act regarding this form of assistance to Ukrainians that Karol Nawrocki will sign. He explained this by saying that we need to start treating Ukrainian citizens like all foreigners.

The Ministry of Interior and Administration is working on a project to extinguish the solutions resulting from the special act. According to the preliminary assumptions of the project published in early December, some of the provisions are to be retained and transferred to the Act on the Protection of Foreigners. This includes: o PESEL UKR, which will remain a method of confirming legal residence.

Changes in regulations must be communicated well in advance

Employers of Poland expert Piotr Rogowiecki pointed out in an interview with PAP that changes in regulations must be communicated early and clearly. As he explained, preparing for the new law is a task both for Ukrainians themselves, as well as employers and offices.

– Not every Pole follows legal changes, and even less so do foreigners, Rogowiecki pointed out.

He also noticed that If, as a result of legal regulations, Ukrainians left Poland, “our economic and development potential would be disrupted.” – This is not some fantasy or politics, these are facts – said the expert.

He pointed out that approx 80 percent There are professionally active Ukrainians in our countrywhich makes Poland unique on a European scale. – For comparison, in the Czech Republic it is 48 percent and in Germany – 25 percent. So if someone claims that Ukrainians are on welfare in Poland and abuse our system, it is not true, he emphasized.

He added that the public debate sometimes presents an untrue thesis that Ukrainians are taking jobs from Poles.

– Ukrainians, or foreigners in general, work primarily where Poles no longer want to work, which is a normal phenomenon, because as society becomes richer, certain professions are taken over by migrants. These are often simple services, such as care for the elderly, catering or hotel industry. Similarly, Poles went to Great Britain or Germany and took up these jobs. It's a natural phenomenon, he said.

According to the expert, migration policy should be based primarily on acquiring people the economy needs. This must be properly mapped and monitored.

At the end of December 2024, 1 million 192.9 thousand people were registered for social insurance with ZUS. foreigners, a year earlier – 1 million 127.7 thousand, which means an increase by over 65 thousand people. Most foreigners come from Ukraine, Belarus and Georgia. In 2008, there were 16,000 in the ZUS database. foreigners, and at the end of 2015 185 thousand

A report published in March 2025 by Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego shows that Ukrainian citizens constitute approximately 5%. all people working in Poland, with the largest number of people employed in the industrial, construction, services and transport sectors. The calculations of the report's authors show that – taking into account immigration from 2013 to 2024 – Ukrainians have contributed to the growth of Polish GDP in recent years from 0.5 to 2.4 percent. annually.

Karolina Kropiwiec (PAP)

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