Polish Companies Laid Off Ukrainians Due to Sanctions Against Russia

Due to ties with Russian business, a number of Polish companies were forced to restructure their operations, scale back activity, and seek new partners and markets. Some of these firms appeared on the first sanctions list published by Poland's Ministry of Interior and Administration, covering entities linked to Russia — a list of 50 individuals and companies. The ban primarily targeted the supply of dual-use goods and technologies. The resulting operational changes led to workforce reductions at these enterprises, affecting first and foremost Ukrainian men, who make up the lion's share of the labour force in metallurgical and heavy-industry plants. This is reported by the analytical centre of the recruitment agency Gremi Personal.

However, according to experts, Ukrainians quickly found new employment at other companies in Poland. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the number of "male-oriented" job vacancies in Poland has increased by 15–20%. The labour shortage has grown, as Ukrainian men began returning to defend Ukraine, while 70% of offers from Polish employers involve physical labour.

"In March and April, the number of applications from men was also higher because some companies were forced to restructure their operations due to ties with Russia, and consequently had to let part of their workforce go. But Ukrainian men found jobs fairly quickly in logistics, food industry enterprises, or the automotive sector. There is no shortage of job opportunities for men in Poland. In May, demand for male vacancies rose again — by 18%," says Anna Dzhabolda, Director of the Recruitment Department at Gremi Personal.

According to the expert, performing physical work, Ukrainian men in Poland can earn 3,500–4,000 zloty per month (approximately 23,100–26,500 hryvnias). Furthermore, due to the shortage of male workers, Polish employers are being forced to adapt their workforce structures to employ Ukrainian women who were compelled to leave Ukraine because of the war, as well as to turn their attention to workers from Asia.