Poland faces surge of Colombian migrants misled by TikTok influencers

TikTok influencers in Colombia have been posting short videos that portray Poland as a fast‑track to wealth, promising earnings of up to 10,000 złoty and easy jobs collecting bottle deposits. The content recruits viewers to travel to Poland, often omitting legal requirements, living costs and the risk of becoming dependent on recruitment agencies. As a result, a growing number of Colombians arrive seeking work, only to encounter low‑wage, sometimes illegal employment.

Polish authorities have responded. On 12 May 2026, officials from Poland and Colombia met to discuss the rising threat of human‑trafficking linked to these online promotions. Work permits for Colombian nationals jumped from 244 in 2021 to more than 37,700 the following year, with many on short‑term or agency contracts paying around 25 zł per hour. Inspections in the Warmia‑Mazury region found thousands of irregular foreign workers. One interviewee, 28‑year‑old Luciana, lives legally in northern Poland but works long hours for wages only slightly above the minimum, illustrating the gap between the TikTok narrative and reality.