According to the latest data from the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) in Poland, nearly 1.3 million foreigners were legally working in the country at the end of October 2023, representing almost 7% of its total workforce. This marked an increase of over 61 000 since the end of 2022.

The majority of migrants registered with the ZUS at this point came from Ukraine (761 000), followed by Belarus (128 000) and Georgia (27 000). The number of workers from countries in Asia, particularly India, is also rapidly growing.

While those from Ukraine comprise the largest national group among labour migrants in Poland, the relative increase in the number of labour migrants from this country between 2022 and 2023 is lower than that of those from other countries, something likely influenced by the ongoing war in Ukraine. As a result of this war and the resulting ban on men of conscription age leaving Ukraine, those displaced from Ukraine in Poland are largely women, and the proportion of men among foreign workers insured by the ZUS has decreased.

ZUS data find that 1 in 3 foreigners in Poland works in industry, transport or logistics. In reality, the share of migrant employment in these sectors is even higher, but this is not fully reflected in the statistics as many migrants are employed by temporary employment agencies which cover their social security contributions. Additionally, a significant number of foreigners work in construction (1 in 8) and retail and wholesale trade (1 in 10), including many women from Ukraine. Among these workers, 37% are employed under civil-law contracts, which are less secure than standard employment contracts (59%).