Poland has become a leader among European countries in terms of the employment rate of Ukrainian refugees. According to the latest data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 78.4% of working-age Ukrainians in Poland are employed. This figure is more than double that of Germany, where only 31% of Ukrainian refugees are employed.
This is reported by Finway
Increase in Immigrants and Integration into the Economy
According to the OECD, the number of immigrants arriving in Poland has increased from 47,000 in 2013 to over 300,000 in 2022. In 2024, the country received 14,500 asylum applications, nearly half of which (6,100) came from Ukrainian citizens, with a similar number from Belarusians.
Poland is actively integrating foreigners into its economy by providing them with employment opportunities. Ukrainians make up the largest group among those finding jobs in Poland, positively impacting both the refugees themselves and the development of the Polish labor market.
Comparison with Other European Countries
In addition to Poland, high employment rates for Ukrainians are recorded in Lithuania (72%), the United Kingdom (69%), Sweden (66%), the Czech Republic (63%), and Denmark (62%). The top ten countries with the highest share of employed Ukrainians also include the USA, Estonia, the Netherlands, and France, where rates range from 42% to 61%.
In comparison, only 17% of Ukrainians find work in Spain, while the rest primarily receive social benefits.
Poland is one of the leading OECD countries in terms of the number of temporary foreign workers. The overall employment rate of foreigners in this country stands at 78.4%, exceeding the EU average (67.9%). Only Iceland, New Zealand, the Czech Republic, and Hungary have higher rates.
“The employment rate of foreigners in the Polish labor market is higher than that of Poles themselves: 81.1% compared to 74.6%.”