Ukrainians in Poland face fraud allegations, labour shifts and EU membership debate
Polish MP Włodzimierz Skalik claimed that some Ukrainians obtain multiple PESEL numbers by using different transliterations of their names, allowing them to claim several social benefits and accusing the interior minister of failing to control the abuse.
According to the Office for Foreigners, as of 1 July 2026 there were 1.55 million Ukrainian citizens with valid residence documents in Poland, of whom 959 000 were under temporary protection, representing about 78 % of all foreigners with permits.
Labour‑market data show that between December 2022 and December 2025 the number of foreign workers in Poland rose by 145 000, while the number of employed Polish citizens fell by 215 000, a trend driven mainly by demographic decline rather than displacement. Ukrainians remain the largest foreign‑worker group, but firms are increasingly hiring staff from Asian and South‑American countries as the Ukrainian labour pool shrinks.
A recent poll found that 49 % of Poles oppose Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, while 42 % support it. Across the EU, 49 % back Ukraine’s membership and 39 % oppose it; the strongest support is in Spain (65 % in favour) and the strongest opposition is in Poland, Germany and France.
Eurostat data indicate that a person who turned 15 in 2025 in Poland is expected to stay in the labour market for an average of 36 years, still below the EU average of 37.5 years.
Entities: European Union · Karol Nawrocki · Office for Foreigners (Urząd do Spraw Cudzoziemców) · Poland · Ukraine · Volodymyr Zelenskyy · Włodzimierz Skalik
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] As of 1 July 2026, 1.55 million Ukrainian citizens held valid residence documents in Poland, of whom 959 000 were under temporary protection. (7f41629c-4e3a-4891-8e68-1b018e888808)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A person who turned 15 in Poland in 2025 is expected to stay in the labour market for an average of 36 years, below the EU average of 37.5 years. (8e11b099-9132-4c90-843c-8907069ab998)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Polish companies are increasingly hiring workers from Asia and South America as the share of Ukrainian workers declines. (a6d00de7-11df-4167-b120-4fb94d9556b0)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Across the EU, 49 % support Ukraine’s EU accession and 39 % oppose it; the highest support is in Spain (65 %). (346e4632-b5d1-447a-abab-94c544b34861)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] 49 % of Poles oppose Ukraine joining the EU, while 42 % support it. (580a0ddf-8c5f-4ca7-b07a-8bfaf0df55e1)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Some Ukrainians obtain multiple PESEL numbers by using different transliterations of their names, enabling multiple social‑benefit claims. (ca0bd89e-8a96-46ca-92f6-65bd8967e16b)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Between December 2022 and December 2025 the number of foreign workers in Poland increased by 145 000, while the number of employed Polish citizens fell by 215 000. (a67dcba9-d7cd-4f2b-a934-befba57d78bd)