Poland's labor market is expanding its horizons, experts say. They add that the increasing diversity in Poland's workforce underscores the country's transition in a globalizing world, with businesses and industries evolving to meet the demands of an interconnected global economy.
Foreign workers now represent 6.5 percent of the country's workforce, and this figure isn't just driven by neighboring countries.
An increasing number of nationalities from other continents are now working in Poland, according to the international employment agency Gremi Personal, which specialises in recruiting staff abroad.
Poland shares borders with several countries, including Ukraine to the east. Traditionally, a significant number of foreign workers in Poland have come from its eastern neighbors, particularly Ukraine.
As per the data analyzed by the Analytical Center of Gremi Personal, Ukrainians still form the largest group of foreign employees in Poland. However, the inflow of new workers from Ukraine has slowed down. As of July, Poland's Social Security Institution (ZUS) data showed 749,100 Ukrainians, just 13,300 more than last year.
In contrast, there has been a rapid influx of workers from countries such as Belarus, Georgia, India, the Philippines, and Nepal.
While Ukrainians remain the majority in the ZUS registers, their proportion dropped from almost 72 percent in 2022 to 68.3 percent by July's end.
"The new peak in ZUS is primarily due to the influx of workers from other countries, with nearly 122,700 Belarusians working in Poland in July," the agency stated.
Additionally, about 18,600 Indians were legally employed by the end of June.
Gremi Personal noted that in June, social security contributions were paid for 122,000 Belarusians, indicating a preference by Polish employers for sourcing staff from geographically closer nations.
Yet, the overall registry by the end of July counted 1.01 million foreign workers, a marked increase from both January and last year's figures.
Damian Guzman, Deputy Director General of Gremi Personal, commented on the trend, saying that while Ukrainians, Belarusians, Georgians, and Moldovans dominate the Polish labor market – an effect of the revised Foreigners Act, which has simplified employment procedures – there is still significant demand for workers from Asia and Africa.
However, getting these workers remains challenging. "Moreover, foreigners from wealthier countries are not inclined to work for minimum wage, further narrowing the pool," he added.
Most foreign workers are employed in sectors such as industrial processing, hotels, restaurants and catering (HoReCa), transport, shipping and logistics (TSL), construction, trade, and employment agencies. These sectors collectively employ three out of every four foreigners insured with the ZUS.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP