GUS: Foreign workers comprise 6.8% of Poland’s workforce as of July 2024

Foreign workers accounted for 6.8% of the total workforce in Poland as of the end of July 2024, according to data from the Central Statistical Office (GUS). This translates to approximately 1.04 million foreigners employed in the country, with 405,400 engaged under mandate contracts and related agreements.

Ukrainian nationals constituted the largest group of foreign workers in Poland, with 701,300 individuals employed as of July 2024. However, their share in the total foreign workforce has declined by six percentage points since January 2022, reflecting a gradual diversification of foreign labor in Poland.

The workforce among foreigners has seen a shift in gender balance. While men still represent the majority, their share dropped from 64.7% in January 2022 to 59.7% in July 2024, indicating a relative increase in the proportion of women among foreign workers.

The share of foreign workers in Poland’s overall workforce increased by 1.6 percentage points compared to January 2022, signaling a growing reliance on international labor to meet employment demands.

Foreign employees in Poland hail from over 150 countries, underscoring the internationalization of the labor market. While Ukrainian citizens remain predominant, the data highlights the breadth of nationalities contributing to Poland’s workforce.

The figures are part of GUS’s experimental work aimed at leveraging administrative data to assess the number of foreigners in the workforce. Unlike standard national economic statistics, which exclude individuals engaged under civil law contracts, this report incorporates all “persons performing work,” encompassing both those formally employed in the national economy and those under civil law agreements, such as mandate contracts.

Poland’s labor market continues to evolve, with foreign workers playing an increasingly vital role in addressing workforce needs across various sectors.

Source: GUS and ISBnews