Poland Enters the "Peak" Production Season with a High Worker Shortage Due to the War in Ukraine

In the first two weeks of May, the number of job offers for foreigners increased on average by 35–40%. The highest demand is in the food industry (+10%), as well as in trade, logistics, and e-commerce (+7%). The number of vacancies for men is growing fastest – by nearly 20% – yet there are fewer and fewer of them available on the market. This is reported by the analytical centre of the employment agency Gremi Personal.

In the coming weeks, the personnel shortage is set to deepen. Companies will feel the absence of not only approximately 80,000–100,000 Ukrainians who left to defend their country after the war began, but also hundreds of thousands of seasonal workers from Ukraine who will not come to Poland this year.

"Last week we placed over a thousand people, of whom 65% were women and only 35% men. Most of the men who left Ukraine before 24 February have already found work. Others, taking advantage of the market situation, are being more selective in choosing where to work. Pay rates remain at the same level as before the war, but this may change with the start of the season – wages will definitely rise in industries where employers need physically strong men. They can expect higher rates," says Anna Dżobolda, Head of Recruitment at Gremi Personal.

In the April survey by Poland's Central Statistical Office, one in three manufacturing companies reported that a shortage of qualified workers was an obstacle to their operations, and in construction and transport this figure reached 40%.

In March and April, the number of unemployed Ukrainian men in Poland was higher. This was linked to the fact that, as a result of sanctions against Russia, some Polish companies that had cooperated with Russian businesses before the war were forced to scale back their operations or seek new partners and markets. These changes led to layoffs at those companies – predominantly Ukrainian men, who had made up the lion's share of the workforce at metallurgical plants, heavy industry enterprises, and similar facilities. However, the laid-off Ukrainians found new work very quickly.

Some vacancies at companies are being filled by hiring Ukrainian refugee women. Firms are trying to adapt positions previously held by men to suit them. At the same time, a growing number of women are returning home and do not intend to work in Poland.

According to data from Poland's Border Guard, since the start of the war 3,592 Ukrainian citizens have arrived in Poland from Ukraine, while 1,557 have returned home.