How Much Money Do Ukrainian Workers in Poland Send Back Home — Survey

A survey conducted among employed Ukrainians in Poland found that 74.5% send money to their relatives in Ukraine. Of those, 35.4% of respondents send more than half of their earnings home, while 39.1% send less than half. Only 10.9% send nothing at all. However, 14.6% of respondents have brought their families to Poland, which is why they have no need for money transfers. The survey involved 1,550 Ukrainians who have been legally employed since the start of the full-scale war. The data comes from the analytical centre of the international employment agency Gremi Personal, which provided employment to the survey respondents.

According to National Bank of Ukraine statistics, for the first three quarters of 2021, Poland was the top source of remittances to Ukraine — amounting to $4.3 billion. In the first half of 2022, Ukraine received nearly $6.5 billion in remittances, which is 6.2% less than in the same period of 2021.

Analysts at the centre add that average wages in blue-collar occupations predominantly filled by Ukrainians amount to 28,000–32,000 hryvnias per month (approximately 3,500–4,000 Polish zloty).

"Ukrainian workers' incomes have fallen by more than a third due to the exchange rate. At the same time, the inability of men to cross the border for work is pushing women to take jobs in European countries and financially support their families back in Ukraine. We forecast salary growth in Poland this autumn and are confident that this will inevitably become a catalyst for even larger remittances to support relatives and Ukraine's economy as a whole," — says Anna Dzhobołda, Head of the Recruitment Department at the international employment agency Gremi Personal.

The agency also notes that there is no reason to expect a collapse in foreign currency remittances to Ukraine due to men being unable to travel abroad for work. This year, a large number of women have already found employment in Europe, and they are largely making up for this shortfall.

It should be noted that since the beginning of the full-scale war, 1,234,700 Ukrainian refugees have been granted temporary protection status in Poland. Of those, only 372,000 Ukrainians were officially employed — according to data from the Polish Ministry of Family and Social Policy and UNHCR.

Background*

Gremi Personal is an international employment agency with 14 years in the market. It ranks among the TOP-3 employment companies in Poland and operates 12 offices across Polish cities. The agency specialises in placing Ukrainians (90%) and residents of Central Asia (10%). The company's monthly turnover is approximately 20 million Polish zloty, which amounts to 240 million zloty or $50.758 million per year. The owner is Yevhen Kyrychenko, originally from Kherson. The company employs over 300 people, the majority of whom are also Ukrainian.