Poland: Almost half of foreign workforce overqualified

According to a recently published report by the Polish Economic Institute, citing recent Eurostat data, nearly half of the foreigners working in Poland (48%) are employed in positions below their qualification level. 

This issue primarily affects refugees from Ukraine, many of whom hold higher education degrees. The percentage of underemployment is higher than the European Union average (39.4%), although migrants in such countries as Greece (69.6%), Italy (64.1%), Spain (56%) and the Czech Republic (52.9%) face even greater challenges in this regard.

A study conducted by the EWL Migration Platform, the EWL Foundation, and the Centre for East European Studies at the University of Warsaw highlights that the situation has significantly deteriorated over the past 2 years, largely as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the resulting displacement of huge numbers of people. While in 2021 only 35% of Ukrainian migrants in Poland were working below their qualifications, by 2024 this figure had nearly doubled and now stands at 68%.

Experts from the Polish Economic Institute warn that in the long term, this situation may lead to decreased motivation and lower quality of work among migrants, as well as worsening relationships with employers and colleagues, in turn hindering integration efforts.