Work in Poland and Germany: where do Ukrainian refugees work?
Most Ukrainian refugees found jobs in Poland with qualifications below their level of education. This is evidenced by a study by EWL Migration Platform and the University of Warsaw.
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, 430 thousand Ukrainians have found work in Poland, the average age of those employed in Poland and Germany is 37-39 years. Among them there is a significant number of people with experience, qualifications and often professional higher education.
"These are, for example, teachers, IT workers, office workers, managers. If we talk about the employment of these people in Poland, 90% work in jobs that require a lower level of education. Few people abroad were able to maintain their professional position", - said Michalina Sylewicz, Director of International Development at EWL Group.
She also noted that the situation may change over time. After all, a natural element of economic migration is that people who move to another country, first look for a job "to start".
Refugees study to get a better job
More than half of refugees in Poland (53%) and Germany (55%) do not know the local language or know it at a low level. Only 13% of those employed in Poland and 18% of those employed in Germany have good or very good language skills.
But more than 80% of refugees in Poland are already learning Polish, in Germany the share of refugees learning the language is just over 60%.
It is also worth noting that about 20% of refugees currently working in Poland and Germany are improving their qualifications by attending courses and trainings. And almost 40% are ready to work or improve their qualifications in the future.
Where to find a job?
Almost a quarter of Ukrainians in Poland and Germany found a job on the recommendations of friends or employers. Approximately the same number of refugees were employed with the assistance of local authorities, another quarter - found a job on their own.
Percentage of employment of Ukrainian refugees in different spheres in Poland:
Hotel and restaurant business - 29%.
Service sector - 18%
Production - 14% - 14
Trade - 11%.
Rural economy - 7%.
Logistics - 7%.
Percentage of employment of Ukrainian refugees in different spheres in Germany:
Hotel and restaurant business - 31%
Trade - 19% - 19
Service sector - 12%
Care for the elderly - 10%
Manufacturing - 7%
Agriculture - 6% - Agriculture
Education sector - 6%.
The research data are based on a survey conducted on July 15-22, 2022 among 800 citizens of Ukraine who left the country after February 24, 2022, lived and worked in Poland and Germany at the time of the survey.
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The simultaneous stay of visitors in the hotel lobby not more than one person per 10 square meters of serviceable area is allowed.
Persons can visit hotels and stay there (outside hotel room) only if they wear respirator or face mask (including homemade mask), so that the nose and mouth are covered.
Hotel guests are obliged to keep the 1.5 meters distance.
Online check-in making in advance is recommended to avoid queues at check-in to hotel.
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