The report, conducted by private employment agency Personnel Service, reveals a complex picture of modest living and reliance on employer-provided benefits.
According to the study, over half of the Ukrainian workers surveyed earn around the minimum wage, while 30 percent have monthly earnings between PLN 4,000 and 5,000.
Krzysztof Inglot, the founder of Personnel Service, explained the findings, highlighting the adaptability and cultural affinity that makes Ukrainians preferred candidates for many Polish employers.
"If you ask employers whom they would prefer to hire, Poles would come first, and Ukrainians second. In the case of Ukrainians, entrepreneurs value mainly the low language barrier, cultural proximity, and quick adaptation," Inglot said, as quoted by state news agency PAP.
The survey also sheds light on the living conditions of these workers, with 60 percent benefitting from employer-provided accommodation and 73 percent receiving free meals or transportation. Despite these benefits, the data shows that a significant number of Ukrainians live on a tight budget.
"48 percent of Ukrainian workers live on an amount not exceeding PLN 500 per month," the report notes, underlining the frugal lifestyle many adopt in Poland.
The report further explores the job roles occupied by Ukrainians, revealing a shift from predominantly lower-level positions in 2023 to a more diverse range in the current year. Now, 37 percent are in lower-level jobs, 57 percent in mid-level, and 6 percent in higher managerial roles.
The number of Ukrainian workers in Poland has increased to 762,200 by the end of March 2024, marking a 3 percent rise from the previous year. The minimum wage comparisons between Poland and Ukraine starkly highlight the economic disparities driving migration.
"After the April increase, the minimum wage in Ukraine amounts to about PLN 845, almost four times less than in Poland," Inglot pointed out. He also noted that despite higher costs of living abroad, the allure of higher wages in countries like Germany and the Netherlands continues to attract Ukrainian workers.
The study was conducted between January 23-31, 2024, involving 400 participants from border cities such as Lviv, Lutsk, Ternopil, and Ivano-Frankivsk, with a margin of error of +/- 4.9 percent.
(jh)
Source: PAP