80% of Ukrainians in Poland are working: why the economy is suffering without them.

According to ТСН: The majority of Ukrainians in Poland have successfully found jobs and actively support the development of the Polish economy.

The head of the organization "Employers of Poland" Piotr Rogowiecki noted that Poland stands out among European countries with a high level of economic activity among Ukrainian migrants.

Without Ukrainians, the Polish economy would suffer serious losses

According to Rogowiecki, about 80% of Ukrainians in Poland are economically active — one of the highest rates in Europe. In comparison, this rate is about 48% in the Czech Republic and only 25% in Germany. He emphasized that if Ukrainians were to leave due to possible legislative changes, the Polish economy could incur substantial losses.

“This is not some kind of fiction or policy — these are facts,” he emphasized.

“Ukrainians work where Poles do not want to”

The assertion about Ukrainians abusing social assistance or taking jobs from Poles is unfounded, said Rogowiecki. Migrants, he said, often work in sectors that are not popular among locals.

These include simple services such as caring for the elderly, the restaurant business, the hotel industry, and other service sectors. Foreign workers are also actively involved in the manufacturing, transport, logistics, and construction sectors. This, according to Rogowiecki, is natural for more affluent societies.

“Ukrainians work where Poles no longer want to work. This has already happened when Poles themselves massively went to Germany or the UK,” the expert summarized.

Moreover, Poland is currently considering the introduction of a 4-day work week. For Ukrainians working in Poland, there are no exact data on whether the new working hours will apply to them. According to official data, at the end of last year, about 780 thousand Ukrainians were working in Poland, but the real number may be higher due to unofficial employment.

The project is currently mainly aimed at Polish citizens, considering demographic goals. In other countries, such as Belgium and Croatia, similar innovations are only applied to locals, while migrants continue to work under the usual 5-day schedule.

However, if Ukrainians officially work for companies participating in the pilot project, they will also be able to take advantage of the reduced working hours. Currently, there are no specific indications that this opportunity will be unavailable to them. Those who are working in Poland unofficially are unlikely to receive these benefits, as government guarantees do not apply to them.

Thus, the activity of Ukrainian migrants in Poland significantly impacts the country's economy, and legislative changes that may affect working hours require serious consideration. The duration of the work week may change not only working conditions but also impact migrants who are already actively involved in the Polish labor market.