Labour market trends. Migrations. Is Poland still a promised land for foreigners?
An interview with Ewa Klimczuk, Operational Director of Gi Group Temp & Perm
Focus on Business: Ukrainians are the most numerous group of foreigners working in Poland. Has the pandemic affected the presence of Ukrainians on the Polish labour market? What are the current statistics? In which sectors do they work?
Ewa Klimczuk, Gi Group: Some Ukrainians had to leave when the pandemic began and coming back was difficult due to the restrictions. Not all of them returned to Poland. Some chose to go further afield, mainly to Germany, the Netherlands and the UK, where they can count on higher wages. Statistics? Estimates speak of more than 850,000 Ukrainians legally working in our country. Data from the Office for Foreigners shows that the grey economy is another several hundred thousand. The remaining group of foreigners are Belarusians and – for several years now – workers from Asia, mainly Vietnam, Indonesia and India. In the past, Ukrainians would come for a few months, then return home and obtain another visa or wait for the visafree regime to be renewed. Currently, taking advantage of the introduced facili- tations, they more often decide to legalise their stay in Poland, thanks to which they do not have to leave. The number of temporary residence permits issued is growing and is several dozen percent higher than last year. Even bigger increases concern long-term resident permits and permanent residence permits, mainly in the Mazowieckie Voivodeship. Statistics show a trend: migration is part of our reality. It is progressing together with globalisation, growing automation and robotisation and demographic changes. Labour shortage is visible in almost all sectors. There are not enough People willing to do the simplest, least paid jobs, and there is a lack of qualified specialists, professionals with specific competences. Foreigners are employed in manufacturing, logistics, services and IT. Their role is gradually changing. They still perform simple and difficult jobs that Poles are not interested in, e.g. in cold stores, but at the same time it is clearly visible that they increasingly often reach for specialist positions. They are production managers, they do conceptual work, including technical work. They use their skills, and the key is knowledge of Polish or English.
Are there any other advantages besides proximity of location that attract Ukrainians to the Polish labour market?
The geographical factor is very important for Ukrainians and Belarusians. The journey takes less time, they can visit their families more often. Cultural factors and language are also important: Russian, Ukrainian and Polish are close to one another, there are fewer difficulties in communicating at work and outside of it. Let us not forget the most important one – finance. Ukrainians come to improve their standard of living and salaries in Poland are more attractive than in Ukraine, although this is also changing slowly. The situation in this country is improving, and it is easier to find a satisfying job. Ukrainian citizens are therefore not only more willing to stay at home, but have also started to leave for countries other than Poland, where they can do more.
What conditions must foreigners meet to be able to work in Poland? What is the role of the agency and what is the role of the company?
Formalities depend on the type of employment and residence documents,as well as formal requirement of the country the foreigners come from. What is needed is the employer’s declaration of their commitment to employ a given person, which is registered in Poland at the District Labour Office competent for a given employer. This is the basis for obtaining a visa and crossing the border. It is also necessary to fill in additional documents, to pay for insurance and travel and to get to the agreed place. In the case of workers from Asia, the procedure is longer. Of course, it is best if the candidate has a residence card in our country. We recruit both abroad and among foreigners already living in Poland. In Ukraine, we have our own offices and recruitment takes place directly. In the case of Asian countries, we cooperate with local agencies – they search for candidates according to specific needs – for a given client and for specific positions. We adapt the forms and scope of employment to the expectations of companies that need employees for a few weeks or a few months, want to hire directly or prefer a comprehensive outsourcing service, outsourcing not only the payroll and administrative services, but above all some of the processes, warehouse management, production line management, reception or supply chain management.
The role of employment agencies is changing. We can see that the share of temporary work is decreasing, while the share of permanent and outsourced employees is growing, which is convenient for companies, especially in a situation as unstable as the one we are facing now. The benefits are flexibility of employment and a comprehensive service.
What can employers do to encourage Ukrainians to stay permanently? How does Gi Group support hiring employees from Ukraine in Poland? I am asking about both employers and jobseekers.
The most important thing is to know the plans and expectations of companies and candidates. We try to match them, adjusting the service to the current needs. On the one hand, we select the most suitable candidates in accordance with the complex demand for jobs, number of people and form of employment. On the other, we make sure that foreigners have the best possible support and want to stay with us. This is not an easy role, as the labour market is volatile and employment costs constitute the vast majority of those borne by companies, which want to maintain budgetary discipline and are often not willing to increase salaries. So for agencies like ours, flexibility is key. With an extensive database of companies we work with and candidates, we can handle a variety of assignments, engaging for longer or shorter periods. We are able to ensure continuity of employment for those we recruit and employ. This is facilitated by their positive attitude to relocation. They can work in one place and after a month in another.
What do foreigners expect? Some are interested only in short stays, others are linking their future with Poland. For them, stability is important, as increasingly often they come with their families, and of course earnings that allow them to live with dignity. This is an important issue in terms of preventing turnover. Gone are the days when Ukrainians accepted the lowest wages and any work. They still take jobs that Poles often do not want to do but their expectations have risen, both in terms of pay and living conditions. They know that Polish companies need them. As an employment agency, we are in constant contact with the employed. We provide care not only during the re-cruitment process, but throughout the entire period of cooperation, including support in administrative matters or accommodation. They are also assured of employment – if an assignment with one employer ends, we give them an opportunity to start work with another one. Training is an important element, too. Apart from the induction ones, we also prepare other training schemes, e.g. in the area of culture, customs and practical issues. They are particularly needed in the case of Asian employees, and both they and the companies benefit from them. We have also introduced career paths for foreigners who want to stay in Poland for longer. We upskill them on the basis of their talents and competencies already in place.
To what extent can hiring foreigners solve the problem of labour shortage?
Labour migration is a global trend, visible in all countries. It is an important piece of the puzzle, as are policies in the area of demographics, education, adapting the labour market to the fast development of technology. The problem is not only a shortage of labour, but also a shortage of specialists, people with specific, often new competences, and adapting the education system to market needs, with systematic further training. Our society is ageing and we have a high percentage of economically inactive people. However, neither migration nor technology will solve all the problems. What is needed is a realistic analysis of trends and a coherent strategy of the state and companies, as well as its consistent implementation. We must work hard to build up our know-how, as we do not want to be a country whose only asset is cheap labour.
Thank you for the interview.
