The topics of refugees from Ukraine and the activities of Ukrainian businesses in Poland have become the object of numerous stereotypes and fakes. After the start of the full-scale invasion of Russia, many Ukrainians sought refuge in Poland. Among them are entrepreneurs who adapted to the new conditions by establishing a business in this country: they opened representative offices, relocated enterprises or created new companies from scratch. As of September 2024, according to Eurostat, there are approximately 980,000 Ukrainian military migrants in Poland. Experts and researchers claim that their presence had a positive impact on the Polish economy. However, there are myths and stereotypes associated with this phenomenon in society.
Myths about Ukrainian refugees
Ukrainian refugees live at the expense of Polish taxpayers
Alexander Lashek, an expert at Deloitte, which specializes in auditing, consulting and research, explains that this myth is one of the most common. A year and a half later, the majority of Ukrainian refugees were self-supporting. According to the results of a study conducted in the spring of 2024, 80% of Ukrainian migrants in Poland worked – either as employees or remotely in Ukraine. High economic integration has become possible due to the fact that the average Ukrainian refugee has a higher level of qualifications compared to previous waves of migrants. At first, many of them were forced into positions that did not match their level of education or experience, but later they were able to find work that better suited their skills.
Ukrainian refugees cost the Polish economy dearly
According to Lashek, this statement is not true. The taxes paid by Ukrainians exceed the amount of initial aid they received from the Polish state. The expert notes that the presence of Ukrainian migrants contributed to the growth of Poland’s GDP by 0.7–1.1%. He emphasizes that the Polish economy, taxpayers and entrepreneurs have benefited from this influx. Although some people still need help, overall the impact of Ukrainians on the economy is positive.
Ukrainians are taking jobs away from Poles
This myth is also refuted by statistics. Poland has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe at 5% as of August 2024. There are approximately 80,000 open positions on the labor market that cannot be filled by local workers. Ukrainians working in Poland actually fill this deficit and do not create competition with the Poles.
Ukrainian products of low quality
Kateryna Glazkova, executive director of the Union of Ukrainian Entrepreneurs (SUP), explains, that Ukrainian goods exported to the EU meet high quality standards. For this, manufacturers undergo certification, audit and comply with European standards. In particular, the Ukrainian agricultural sector has been working according to these standards for a long time, since Ukraine is one of the leaders in the world market in terms of exports of oil, grain and other agricultural products. According to Glazkova, accusations of low quality are often competitive and related to the emergence of new players on the EU market.
Ukrainian business is taking the market from Polish
This myth is also not true. Ukrainian entrepreneurs, according to Glazkova, mostly work in different niches and are not direct competitors for Polish farmers. The majority of Ukrainian companies are small farms that work efficiently because they are forced to finance their activities independently without state subsidies. This creates conditions for healthy competition, which contributes to the development of both countries.
Ukrainian business is sitting out the war in Poland
According to Glazkova, this statement is also false. Ukrainian entrepreneurs use the Polish market to diversify risks and expand their business to European markets. Kateryna Glazkova notes that the majority of Ukrainian companies continue to work in Ukraine, demonstrating stability in war conditions. Poland is only one direction of their development, and Ukrainian companies will most likely remain on European markets even after the end of the war.
Ukrainian business in numbers
Ukrainians actively use the opportunity to do business in Poland on the same terms as citizens of the country. As of June 2024, almost 60,000 sole proprietorships founded by Ukrainians were registered. More than 28,000 companies have Ukrainian citizens as their founders. Most often, Ukrainian business works in the field of construction, information technologies and services. However, only 15% of these enterprises employ Poles, which may indicate a weak integration of Ukrainians into the Polish environment.
Ukrainian refugees and entrepreneurs in Poland refute numerous myths, proving with their contribution to the Polish economy that they are important partners for society. Their activities create conditions for economic growth, promote cooperation and build strong ties between the two countries.
