photo of PixelsThe number of Ukrainian citizens covered by temporary protection in Poland fell to 858 545 people in September, 80 850 compared to the end of August. This means a decrease of about 8.6 percent – according to Eurostat data quoted by the WP Finance service. Experts indicate that the change may be of relevance to the Polish economy, although it is not known for now whether it besides means the outflow of workers from the national labour market.
In late August, 939 395 Ukrainian citizens were covered by temporary protection in Poland. At the time Poland ranked second in the European Union in terms of the number of beneficiaries of this position – just behind Germany, where about 1 million 294,000 people benefited from protection. The 3rd place was the Czech Republic with 398 360. A full of 4.43 million refugees were covered by temporary protection across the EU. In Poland this figure was already 56,000 lower in August than in the erstwhile year. Between the end of July and the end of August, it decreased by 13,665 people, meaning the September fall was almost six times larger.
Artur Gregorczyk, head of the legal department of the EWL Group and president of Legalito, pointed out in an interview with the HR Finance that the decrease in the number of protected persons could not be automatically identified with their departure from Poland. As he explained, any changes may consequence from updating registers or obtaining another residence status. The expert pointed out that the current statistic of the Social Insurance Institution do not confirm the outflow of employees. By the end of August, there were over 911 000 Ukrainian citizens insured, more than 2 months earlier. In his opinion, the Social safety Office data for September will be crucial to measure whether the number of people working and paying contributions has besides decreased.
"If it turns out that the number of insured Ukrainian citizens has indeed started to drop significantly, it will be a critical signal to our economy"
– warns the specialist in talking to the portal.
The Polish economy can't do without Ukrainians? The expert estimated losses after leaving half a million employees
The importance of Ukrainian citizens for the Polish labour marketplace is due, among another things, to the continuing request for workers. According to the Central Statistical Office, at the end of the second 4th of 2026 there were 98.7 1000 vacancies in Poland, 3.1 percent more than the year before.
Gregorczyk besides cited estimates by economists of mBank, according to which a hypothetical, violent departure of 500,000 workers from Ukraine could reduce the rate of growth of Polish GDP by 0.8 percent points in the short term, and in subsequent years by an average of 0.2 percent points per year.
According to Gregorczyk, Poland should focus not only on acquiring fresh workers from abroad, but besides on retaining those who are already working and paying taxes and contributions.
Source: WP Finance
