The Polish economy is increasingly relying on the labor of foreign workers. According to a new report, migrants living and working in the country account for about 10.7% of Poland's GDP — over 400 billion zlotys annually
The authors of the study, prepared by the Instytut Spraw Publicznych in collaboration with Deloitte and Ipsos, point out that without foreign labor, the Polish labor market would face a serious shortage of workers. In essence, migrants are not only filling vacancies but also compensating for the demographic decline — the aging population and the decrease in the number of working-age residents.
It is estimated that there are currently about 2–2.5 million foreigners living in Poland, and their role in the economy has significantly increased in recent years. Data from ZUS shows that five years ago, foreigners made up 5.6% of all insured workers, and now their share has risen to nearly 8%.
At the same time, their contribution to the social insurance system is also increasing: the share of foreign workers in pension and insurance contributions has reached 6.3%.
Ukrainians still hold a special place. Approximately 857,000 citizens of Ukraine are registered in the ZUS system, making them the largest group of foreign workers in the country.
In total, about 1.3 million foreigners are officially insured in Poland today. Of these, more than 730,000 work under employment contracts (umowa o pracę), around 470,000 under civil law contracts (umowa zlecenie). Additionally, over 90,000 run their own businesses.
Experts emphasize that the influence of migrants has long gone beyond just being cheap labor. They are no longer just employees but active participants in the economy — they rent housing, make purchases, pay taxes, and start businesses, directly impacting domestic demand.
Notably, public sentiment is also significant. According to Ipsos, more than half of Poles believe that migrants help the economy and fill the labor shortage, and 73% of respondents support the idea that Poland should remain open to foreigners who work and live in the country legally.
