Current:Home > reviewsWith European countries hungry for workers, more Ukrainians are choosing Germany over Poland -ProgressCapital
With European countries hungry for workers, more Ukrainians are choosing Germany over Poland
View
Date:2025-04-25 19:50:43
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland is losing large numbers of Ukrainian refugees from its workforce as they travel to Germany to seek higher wages and government benefits in the rich Western economy, according to a report published Tuesday.
Although the refugees are not economic migrants, they are increasingly taking on work as the war in Ukraine drags on for more than a year and a half.
Where they choose to live impacts labor markets in European nations, which are desperate for workers and are facing demographic declines due to low birthrates.
Poland is not their first choice anymore, said Michalina Sielewicz, director of economic development for EWL, an employment agency that carried out the research along with the Center for East European Studies at the University of Warsaw.
“We should be worried,” she said.
The study sought to understand why the number of Ukrainian refugees has been decreasing in Poland, a first stop for many after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, and why the number has been growing in Germany. For the first months of the war, Poland hosted more Ukrainian refugees than any other country.
That has changed. According to European Union statistics, there were 1.1 million Ukrainian citizens registered in Germany at the end of June, compared to 975,000 in Poland. That amounts to a decrease of more than 350,000 in Poland since August 2022, while the number has grown more than 410,000 in Germany.
Of the 350,000 who left Poland, 150,000 went to Germany, according to the report, titled “From Poland to Germany. New Trends in Ukrainian Refugee Migration.”
The study found that a developing network of Ukrainians in Germany is a factor in the migration shift, as people already established there help friends and acquaintances make the step. The Ukrainians questioned in the study also gave other reasons for choosing Germany, including higher wages, higher social benefits for refugees and better medical services.
The study also pointed to German language classes organized by the government for refugees as an important factor that has helped Ukrainians become integrated into society and find their way in the workforce. The Polish government, by contrast, does not offer free language training to refugees.
The study interviewed 400 Ukrainian refugees who had first fled to Poland and then moved to Germany.
Jan Malicki, director of the Center for East European studies, said 400 was a large enough group to draw conclusions. But he cautioned that the biggest unknown now is how many people will want to return to Ukraine after the war, something that will be determined by the extent of the destruction and what conditions the Ukrainian state will be able to offer them.
veryGood! (72)
Related
- Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time
- The 15 craziest Nicolas Cage movies, ranked (including 'Longlegs')
- License suspension extended for 2 years for a trucker acquitted in a deadly motorcycle crash
- Eminem cuts and soothes as he slays his alter ego on 'The Death of Slim Shady' album
- Taylor Swift Eras Archive site launches on singer's 35th birthday. What is it?
- The 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid is definitely the one you want
- Pamper Your Pets With Early Amazon Prime Day Deals That Are 69% Off: Pee Pads That Look Like Rugs & More
- When does 'Big Brother' start? 2024 premiere date, house, where to watch Season 26
- Chuck Scarborough signs off: Hoda Kotb, Al Roker tribute legendary New York anchor
- Georgia’s Fulton County approves plan for independent monitor team to oversee general election
Ranking
- The White House is cracking down on overdraft fees
- Hawaii's Haleakala fire continues to blaze as memory of 2023 Maui wildfire lingers
- Travis Kelce Jokingly Dedicates Karaoke Award to Girlfriend Taylor Swift
- Ammo vending machines offer 24/7 access to bullets at some U.S. grocery stores
- Opinion: Gianni Infantino, FIFA sell souls and 2034 World Cup for Saudi Arabia's billions
- Biden to hold news conference today amid debate over his 2024 campaign. Here's what to know before he speaks.
- License suspension extended for 2 years for a trucker acquitted in a deadly motorcycle crash
- Fire breaks out in spire of Rouen Cathedral in northwest France
Recommendation
Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie return for an 'Encore,' reminisce about 'The Simple Life'
West Virginia, Idaho asking Supreme Court to review rulings allowing transgender athletes to compete
Republican effort to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in inherent contempt of Congress falls short
Gary Ginstling surprisingly quits as New York Philharmonic CEO after 1 year
Taylor Swift Eras Archive site launches on singer's 35th birthday. What is it?
Clean Energy Is Booming in Purple Wisconsin. Just Don’t Mention Climate Change
Republican effort to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in inherent contempt of Congress falls short
For Nicolas Cage, making a serial killer horror movie was a healing experience