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Read, Debate: Engage.
| topic: | Refugees and Asylum |
|---|---|
| located: | Poland, Ukraine |
| editor: | Katarzyna Rybarczyk |
Ten months into the war in Ukraine, Poland is entering a new stage of refugee response, focusing on enabling their long-term integration. During the first months of the Ukrainian crisis, refugees were in urgent need of temporary shelter and food supplies. Now their needs are changing.
“They need employment, a stable income, free education, and free access to health and public services to create a new life in Poland,” said Grzegorz Gajda, a senior urban sector specialist at the European Investment Bank. However, as the country’s resources are running thin, catering to these demands is proving challenging.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, more than 1.4 million Ukrainians registered for temporary protection in Poland - the largest number among all EU-member states. The influx of refugees caused a significant rise in demand for housing. With Poland currently facing a shortage of up to two million residential premises, permanent homes available to Ukrainians are in short supply. Because of that, Ukrainians risk finding themselves living in low standards or overcrowded housing. What else can happen if rental demand keeps growing? The Polish Ombudsman fears some of the refugees could face homelessness.
Apart from struggling to secure adequate accommodation, 45 percent of Ukrainians who have been trying to settle in Poland reported difficulties in finding employment. Desperate to earn a living, many have been undertaking unskilled jobs, which are easier to get if one does not speak the local language.
“About 50 percent of Ukrainians who have started working are doing very simple jobs,” said Piotr Lewandowski, the President of the Board at the Institute for Structural Research. While this allows them to make some money right after escaping their war-torn country, it puts them at risk of stagnating in a position below their qualifications. Besides, it makes them vulnerable to labour exploitation, as they can be asked to work without an employment contract or for very little pay.
What further complicates the preparation for the long-term integration of Ukrainians is that financing this process exceeds Poland's capabilities. The EU has given Poland around PLN 700 million (€144.6 million) to help support Ukrainian refugees but, as interior minister Mariusz Kamiński complained, this aid is “small because it covers only a part of the costs incurred by Poland.”
In the words of the Polish Prime Minister, in order to “‘lower the financial pressure on Polish taxpayers,” from January 2023 onwards, Ukrainian refugees will have to pay for food and housing after four months of staying in state accommodation. The disabled, the elderly, as well as pregnant women will be exempt from this requirement. This approach is a good way to establish an equilibrium between taking care of the most vulnerable and encouraging Ukrainians to become active members of Polish society. At the same time, if the EU gives a cold shoulder to Poland, which is asking for more financial support, the government might have to introduce further cuts in assistance - thus compromising the quality of support offered to Ukrainians.
In an attempt to avoid decreasing the overall standard of life of Ukrainian refugees, Poland established an Aid Fund allocated to projects related to advancing their integration. The country is working on implementing regulations that make it easier to monitor whether refugees enjoy adequate workplace standards.
Long-term integration of Ukrainian refugees in Poland requires not only creating a safe space for those fleeing armed conflict, but also improving their access to economic opportunities and ensuring they can receive the same quality of services as Polish nationals.
Photo by Andrew Keymaster
