The number of people who have stated a nationality other than Polish in the application for pension and disability insurance has exceeded one million. The largest group are citizens of Ukraine, followed by Belarusians and then Georgians.

According to data at the end of July this year, the number of insured persons who declared a nationality other than Polish in the application for pension and disability insurance was 1,024,757.

This means that more than a million foreigners are working legally in Poland. The most numerous group are citizens of Ukraine, with 735.8 thousand, followed by Belarusians, with 91.2 thousand, and Georgians, with 29.1 thousand”, said Minister of Family and Social Policy Marlena Maląg.

Of the nearly 736,000 employed Ukrainians, nearly 390,000 found work in Poland under the simplified employment procedures.

As the head of the Ministry of Family and Social Policy noted, compared with the number of Ukrainian citizens registered as unemployed (17 thousand), the vast majority of those willing to take up work have no problem with this. “The labour market is open to them, and in many sectors, long-standing gaps have been filled”, added Minister Marlena Maląg.

Between 2012 and 2017, more than 5.3 million permits were issued to legalise the work of a foreigner and the majority – more than 3 million were for Ukrainian citizens. In contrast, between 2018 and 2022, more than 9.7 million permits were issued, of which 8.2 million were for Ukrainian citizens.

Estimates from the Ministry of Family and Social Policy show that in July this year, the unemployment rate was 4.9%, the same as in the previous month. At the end of July 2022, 811,500 unemployed people were registered in labour offices – 6,500 fewer than the month before. The last time the number of unemployed was lower was in July 1990.

Adrian Andrzejewski