During the two years of war, Poland’s economy has become critically dependent on Ukrainian refugees.

Since 2022, European countries have provided asylum for more than six million Ukrainian refugees, which has had a great impact on the EU economy. Even though 90% of forced migrants are women with children, elderly people, and people with physical disabilities, this migration did not result in an economic crisis. During the first year of the war in Poland, the the country’s economic gains exceeded aid expenditures by 400%.

Experts note that in two years, Poland’s economy not only benefited from Ukrainian refugees but has developed a dependence. In particular, migrants have registered more than 15,000 large and small enterprises in Poland. And 93% of able-bodied Ukrainians in 2023 were officially employed and regularly paid taxes to the Polish budget. In monetary terms, such direct and indirect payments amount to about PLN 15-20B ($4-5B) per year, or about 1% of the country’s GDP.