Foreigners in Poland – who do we employ most often in 2020?

From year to year the number of people from abroad who work permanently in Poland is growing. All the formalities related to legalization of the stay in the Republic of Poland are not so complicated – over 400 thousand people had a valid residence permit in Poland at the beginning of 2020. Foreigners are eager to do work that Poles do not want to do. Who do we hire most often?

Statistics are going up

It turns out that more and more employees come to us from other countries. Poland has become the Promised Land not only for the Ukrainians – who are by far the most numerous group among the other nationalities, at 214 thousand. Citizens of Belarus – 25.6 thousand people and Germany – more than 20 thousand people – are also willing to work for Poles. Apart from these three nationalities, also Russians, Vietnamese, Hindus, Italians, Chinese, British and Spanish are the biggest national groups in Poland. Some of the data provided by the Statistical Office is therefore surprising and interesting. Workers from the East tend to work at the lowest level positions, while immigrants from the West increasingly take up senior management, managerial and executive positions.

Young, willing and resilient

The largest group among all foreigners holding a work permit in Poland are young people aged 20-39. For them, Poland is a chance to change their lives. For some, it’s a country where they can start to make decent money, for others, it’s a springboard for top positions and career for life. But still most employees from abroad are employed to do physical work, which Poles do not want to undertake. Some of them will soon move on to Western European Union countries, where they have even better prospects for professional development and a chance for really good earnings. However, some of them decide to work and live permanently in Poland. The labour market in Poland has prepared a place for them. Already today many Ukrainians and Belarusians do not only do physical work. Eastern accents can also be heard in shops, petrol stations and on helplines.

Work permit for foreigners

Fortunately, there are not many formalities that need to be taken care of to apply for a job in Poland. If an employee already has a valid document entitling them to legal residence in the Republic of Poland, the procedure is very simple. A work permit, a properly drafted contract and a detailed discussion of the details are just a formality. Sometimes it is necessary to sign the contract in a language that the employee understands. 

In order to be able to employ workers from abroad, it is sometimes necessary to get an opinion issued by a Starost who will confirm such a need in the local labour market. So if you’ve been struggling for months with a shortage of workers, you’ll definitely get an employment permit. If you have not employed foreigners so far, it is worthwhile to take advantage of professional assistance provided by an outsourcing agency, which will help you find the right employee, but also provide them with everything they need to start working legally.