The number of unemployed foreigners in Poland may increase: experts named two reasons

There are currently about 18,000 unemployed foreigners in Poland, but experts expect their number to rise. One of the factors will be automation, which reduces the need for unskilled labor, and such professions are often held by foreigners. This is reported by InPoland.

Unemployment among foreigners in Poland remains lower than overall

According to the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy of Poland, at the end of July 2026, about 18,000 unemployed foreigners were registered. At the end of the first quarter, there were over 19,000, meaning that the number actually decreased over a few months.

At the same time, the situation has worsened compared to last year. Then, the number of registered unemployed foreigners was about 15,000. Thus, it has increased by approximately 20% over the year.

The chief economist of the Federation of Polish Entrepreneurs, Łukasz Kozłowski, estimates unemployment among foreigners to be less than 2%. This is significantly lower than the registered unemployment rate in Poland, which stood at 5.8% at the end of July.

According to Eurostat methodology, the figures differ: in July, the rate for all of Poland was 3.4%, making the country rank second in the EU after the Czech Republic. These figures should not be directly compared due to different calculation methods.

Why the number of unemployed foreigners in Poland may increase

One reason for the projected increase is the tightening of migration and labor regulations. From August 22, citizens of Colombia, Georgia, and Venezuela will no longer be able to work with just visa-free status.

To work legally, certain documents are required. These new employment rules for foreigners may primarily impact those people who are already in the country but do not have the necessary permits.

Experts allow for two scenarios: some of these foreigners may register at employment centers, while others risk moving into the shadow sector.

The second long-term factor is the automation of production. Enterprises gradually need fewer workers to perform simple tasks that do not require high qualifications. A significant portion of such jobs are traditionally occupied by labor migrants.

At the same time, foreigners remain an important part of the Polish labor market. They fill both the gap of skilled labor and vacancies in physical labor, where employers struggle to find local workers.

Therefore, an increase in the number of unemployed foreigners does not necessarily mean a sharp deterioration of the entire labor market. It may simultaneously reflect tightening legalization rules, structural changes in production, and the natural transition of workers who have been living in Poland for a long time.

It is worth noting that the Polish government previously suspended the simplification of employment for foreigners, which was intended to facilitate the hiring of workers in shortage professions.