Mass Exodus of Youth to Poland: Over 56 Thousand in a Month

In September, Polish border guards recorded a significant increase in the number of Ukrainian young people aged 18-22 entering Poland. This information was provided by the Polish border service in response to a request from zaxid.net, reports 'Glavkom'.

According to the Polish border service, compared to August, the number of such entries increased more than tenfold. There is also a significant increase in the number of those leaving Poland for Ukraine – an increase of 3.5 times.

During the period from August 28 to September 28, 2025, more than 56 thousand Ukrainians aged 18-22 entered Poland, while over 19.2 thousand people left Poland for Ukraine. The number of Ukrainians in this age group entering Poland increased more than tenfold compared to August, while the number of those leaving Poland increased by 3.5 times.

Actions of the Ukrainian Government and the State Border Guard Service

There is no official statistics in Ukraine regarding the number of men aged 18-22 who have left or returned to the country after new government restrictions were introduced. According to the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, such statistics are not provided by current legislation and the existing reporting system.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky pointed out that the permission for men aged 18-22 to leave the country is aimed at preserving Ukrainian youth so that parents do not take minors who have not finished school in Ukraine abroad but allow children to study peacefully.

The increase in the number of Ukrainians aged 18-22 leaving for Poland and the increase in those returning to Ukraine indicates an active movement of youth abroad in search of educational or work opportunities. In a situation where sufficient opportunities are lacking in their homeland, young people seek options to improve their situation, which may impact the socio-economic development of Ukraine itself.