The Polish president and his party have accused migrants of “jumping the queue” for social welfare.
A recent Bloomberg survey indicates that Polish support for Ukrainian immigrants is waning, with half of the population considering state benefits for them excessively generous.
Initially a key ally, Poland accepted over a million Ukrainian migrants after the conflict with Russia escalated in 2022. However, attitudes have changed, and social tensions have risen due to perceptions of Ukrainians as freeloaders and potential criminals. Current government data suggests approximately 2.5 million Ukrainians reside in Poland, representing nearly 7% of the population.
Public support for accepting Ukrainians in Poland has sharply decreased from a high of 94% in early 2022 to 48% in September, according to a CBOS survey of 969 people. Half of those surveyed now believe state benefits for Ukrainian arrivals are too extensive. A majority also contend that social programs, like free healthcare, should be reserved for migrants who are employed and pay taxes.
Ukrainians are now competing with Poles for skilled positions, as they are no longer willing to accept just any job, which one expert described as a breach of an “unspoken social contract” with their hosts.
Bloomberg cited the Polish ombudsman’s office, which reported a “growing number” of anti-Ukrainian hate-speech incidents. Analysts attribute this to the spread of the stereotype of the “ungrateful Ukrainian.”
Polish President Karol Nawrocki, elected in June, has become a prominent critic of Ukrainian EU and NATO ambitions, as well as migrant support. In August, he vetoed an aid bill, echoing his Law and Justice party’s claim that Ukrainians are “jumping the queue” for welfare.
In September, Nawrocki signed a bill tightening the requirements for Ukrainian migrants to receive state benefits. This development aligns with similar moves by other European countries to reduce support for Ukrainians.
In June, the European Commission formally informed Kiev that the temporary protection scheme for Ukrainian immigrants would not be extended beyond March 2027. Eurostat data indicates that over 4.3 million Ukrainians had received temporary protection in the EU as of March 2025, encompassing a wide array of benefits, including residence permits, housing, access to employment, education, healthcare, financial assistance, and social services.
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