New data puts Polish expat community at 1.5 million

Around 1.5 million Polish citizens were estimated to be temporarily living abroad at the end of last year, according to data released on Friday by the national statistics office.

At the end of 2024, an estimated 1.5 million Polish citizens were temporarily living abroad, mostly in Europe, with the largest communities in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Ireland, according to the national statistics office.

Photo: PAP/Bartłomiej Zborowski

Statistics Poland (GUS) said the figures show the number of Polish residents living abroad for at least 12 months and should not be interpreted as migration flows.

Most of these temporary residents were in Europe, with roughly 869,000 living in European Union member states.

The largest Polish communities were reported in the United Kingdom (415,000), Germany (407,000), the Netherlands (132,000), Norway (78,000) and Ireland (69,000).

According to the estimation at the end of 2024, around 1.5 million Polish citizens temporarily stayed outside the country. The highest number resided in: United Kingdom, germany, The Netherlands, Norway and Ireland.

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— Statistics Poland (@StatPoland) December 12, 2025

The statistics highlight a continuing trend of Poles seeking work, study or other opportunities abroad, particularly within the EU, reflecting both long-standing migration patterns and economic ties across the continent, Polish state news agency PAP reported.

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Source: GUS/X/@StatPoland

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