Why it is difficult for Ukrainians to find qualified work in Poland

Poland has become one of the key destinations for employment of Ukrainians, but since the start of the full-scale invasion, the situation has changed: some people work in their field, while others are forced to take on unskilled professions. This is noted by Delo.ua.

How the labor market in Poland has changed

The Ambassador of Ukraine to Poland, Vasyl Bodnar, explains that the country has created conditions for Ukrainians that are as close to the rights of local citizens as possible. According to him, more than 70% of people who left after the invasion managed to find jobs or start their own businesses. However, this does not cover all the needs of the market: in the second quarter of 2025, there were still 95.7 thousand vacancies open in Poland.

Bodnar emphasizes that the demand for professions such as teacher, doctor, builder, or electrician is still high, while competition has only increased in a few sectors, particularly IT.

Why it is difficult for Ukrainians to find qualified work

Despite the influx of highly qualified personnel, many Ukrainians cannot find employment in their specialty. Among the main reasons, the ambassador names:

• the orientation of many sectors of the economy towards low-skilled workers;

• the necessity of diploma nostrification and confirmation of experience;

• language barrier and the requirement to know Polish at a professional level;

• the need for certificates or membership in professional organizations;

• high competition for qualified positions from Poles.

If you are interested in working in Poland, we suggest familiarizing yourself with 350,000 vacancies on the Layboard portal.

Labor market expert Vitaliy Belents explains that the problem is more complex than it seems at first glance. According to him, Ukrainian specialists often underestimate the difference between the requirements of Polish employers and the realities in Ukraine.

“In Poland, an employer expects not just a diploma but confirmed practice, certificates, and knowledge of the language at a level that allows performing professional duties without additional training. Candidates from Ukraine often have strong experience, but they do not always manage to confirm it formally. This immediately reduces their competitiveness,” - notes Belents.

Earlier we wrote that Ukrainians over 55 find it almost impossible to find work in Poland.