Approximately 80% of Ukrainians living in Poland are economically active, which makes this country unique in Europe. Also, many of our fellow countrymen work exactly where local workers are reluctant to take on certain tasks.
According to Piotr Rogowiecki, an expert with Polish Employers, this phenomenon is not about policy or fiction – it is a fact. He noted that changes in legislation could influence the country’s economic development and potential.
This is not some fabrication or policy; these are facts
– expert
Context of Ukrainians’ Economic Activity in Poland
Around 80% of Ukrainian migrants in Poland remain economically active, underscoring the special nature of economic ties between the two countries. For comparison: in the Czech Republic this figure is about 48%, and in Germany – around 25%. Thus, the statement that Ukrainians receive social benefits and abuse the system is not accurate.
According to Rogowiecki’s statements, Ukrainians generally work where Poles do not want to or cannot undertake certain jobs – this is a normal phenomenon, and economic growth leads to the transfer of some professions to migrants. Often these are simple services: care for the elderly, public catering, or hotel management. This trend was also characteristic of other countries that previously welcomed migrants into similar roles.
«Ukrainians, or foreigners in general, mainly work where Poles no longer want to work, which is a normal phenomenon, because as the wealth of society grows certain professions shift to migrants. Often these are simple services, such as care for the elderly, public catering, or hotel management. In the same way, Poles migrated to Great Britain or Germany and took those jobs there. This is a natural phenomenon»
– Piotr Rogowiecki
In Poland’s information space, there has been an uptick in anti-Ukrainian information operations, which requires careful handling by society and the relevant institutions.