Poland currently finds itself at a point where
demographic change, economic adjustment, and deeper global
integration intersect in ways that are increasingly visible from
outside the country.
Labour migration
In 2015, fewer than 200,000 foreign workers were registered with
Poland's social security system (ZUS). Today, that figure
exceeds 1.13 million. Poland now records one of the highest
employment rates among immigrants in the Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development (OECD), at 78.4%, compared with a
European Union (EU) average of 67.9%.
Among displaced Ukrainians, employment levels are similarly
high, at approximately 78%. Indicators of longer-term integration
are also notable. More than 90% of Ukrainian refugee children in
Poland attend Polish schools. By comparison, employment among
Ukrainian refugees in Germany remains at around 31%, while fewer
than 30% of their children are enrolled in German schools. While
such comparisons inevitably
