The statistics in the chart above are based on Eurostat's Non-national population by group of citizenship, 1 January 2022. An update from Eurostat is expected in March 2024.

According to Eurostat's Migration and migrant population statistics, as of 1 January 2022, there were about 419 000 third-country nationals (TCNs), representing 1.1% of the population, and another 33 400 EU citizens (0.1%) living in Poland at the time.

In 2021, 81.7% of first permits were issued for work reasons, 4.7%  – for study purposes, and 1.2% - for family reunification, according to the European Migration Network (EMN)’s 2022 country factsheet for Poland. Overall, on 1 January 2022, according to Statistics Poland, 347 447 TCNs had temporary residence permits and 110 825 - permanent ones. Most TCNs that year came from neighbouring states Ukraine (73%) and Belarus (5%), as citizens of both these countries have easy access to the Polish labour market based on the employers’ declarations (which waive the requirement for a work permit) or the so-called based on(acquired through Polish ancestry or other proven ties with Poland as the country of origin). The share of immigrants from India and Georgia in Poland in 2021 was also relatively high (around 3% for each country).

In terms of citizenship, according to Statistics Poland , 10 122 people were naturalised in 2022, of whom 95% were TCNs. In terms of naturalisation, 7 176 TCNs received Polish citizenship in 2021, as opposed to 6 799 and 6 186 in 2020 and 2019, respectively. Other detailed statistical data is available in the EMN 2022 country factsheet for Poland, with insights about the age and gender of TCNs, the most common types of residence permits issued and international protection statistics.

By the end of October 2023, however, Poland counted a total of 955 110 non-EU citizens who had fled the war against Ukraine and were already under temporary protection – see monthly updates in the numbers of temporary protection beneficiaries on Eurostat.

The recent OECD/EC Indicators of Immigrant Integration 2023: Settling In report provides further breakdowns of the composition of migrant populations and households in Poland, including in terms of immigration flows by legal category, concentration in densely populated areas, duration of stay and household composition.

Poland does not have a dedicated integration strategy.

In 2020, the Inter-Ministerial Team for Migration developed a document entitled Migration Policy of Poland – Diagnosis of the Initial State. Based on this document, a strategy entitled Migration Policy of Poland - Directions for Action 2021-2022 was drafted, but it was not been adopted. One of the chapters in this document concerned the integration of foreigners.

Currently, the Expert Team for Social Inclusion Strategy, operating within the Prime Minister’s Office, works on a 5-year strategy concerning various groups at risk of exclusion, including foreigners, and especially beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine.

This lack of national integration policy in Poland is somewhat made up for by the increasing cooperation between cities affiliated with the Union of Polish Metropolises and the multiplication of local integration policies in recent years. The city of Gdansk is a pioneer in the field.

In 2021, the Council for the Model of Migrant Integration in the Mazovian Voivodeship, established by Caritas Poland and composed of representatives of Mazovian public institutions and NGOs, prepared assumptions for the strategy of integration of migrants in the Mazowieckie Voivodeship.

On 24 October 2023, the Board of Directors of the region of Malopolska adopted the Programme of Integration of Immigrants in the Malopolska Region (Open Malopolska). This is the first document of its kind officially adopted at the regional level in Poland.

Beneficiaries of international protection and persons granted subsidiary protection are the only target groups of the Individual Integration Programmes introduced in 1998 and currently regulated by the 2004 Act on Social Assistance of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy.

The programmes last up to 12 months and provide specialised counselling to beneficiaries of international protection. The main part of the programmes consists of financial support aimed at covering living costs and paying for language classes. However, neither language courses, civic education or vocational training are included.

In 2014, the Supreme Audit Office (NIK) conducted an audit of Individual Integration Programmes for beneficiaries of international protection. The main conclusion of this audit, published in the report entitled Social Assistance for Refugees, was formulated as follows: ‘The social assistance system for beneficiaries of international protection operating in Poland does not ensure their proper integration into society and does not create conditions for them to lead an independent life’. The main objectives of integration – learning the Polish language or obtaining assistance in finding a job – are not sufficiently implemented. Support is mostly available contingent on cash benefits. There is a lack of monitoring of the situation of foreigners after the completion of integration programmes, so there are no tools to assess the effectiveness of the measures taken. The NIK study revealed that few beneficiaries of international protection manage to obtain permanent employment and that, following the completion of the integration programme, a significant part of them end up needing social assistance.

The Mazowieckie Province Governor’s Office used to prepare periodical internal evaluation reports. It concluded in 2015 that the 1-year period is too short for foreigners to gain sufficient levels of knowledge of the Polish language, be able to participate in local vocational training and find well-paid jobs that give them financial independence. The report also pointed out the lack of affordable housing – especially since waiting times for social housing can last several years – as a major barrier to social integration.

Before this internal evaluation, non-governmental organisations such as the Institute of Public Affairs and the Association for Legal Intervention conducted an assessment of the individual integration programmes in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy. The document entitled Poland’s Stop. The analysis of individual integration programmes for beneficiaries of international protection revealed similar findings. The authors of the analysis pointed to the need for more individualised programmes with a more active role allowed to the beneficiaries of international protection themselves.

In addition, the international Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) points out that, just like in most Central and Eastern European countries, migrants in Poland enjoy basic rights, but not equal opportunities, with policies generally unfavourable towards newcomers. The country’s approach to integration is therefore classified as providing ‘equality on paper’, with Poland scoring 40 out of 100 points on the MIPEX 2020 scale, with the average score being 49.

Finally, Poland is one of the 14 countries included in the National Integration Evaluation Mechanism (NIEM) that measures refugee integration policies in 14 EU Member States and establishes a framework for evidence-based policy-making. Poland scores 36.9 across indicators on the NIEM scale of 100, thus being seen as a marginally supportive country.

Law on foreigners

The Polish Act on Foreigners of 12 December 2013 lays down the principles and conditions governing entry into, transit through, residence on and departure from the Polish territory. An important change related to integration was the introduction in 2018 of a Polish language requirement (B1 level) for obtaining a long-term EU resident’s residence permit.

Asylum law

The Act of 13 June 2003 regulates the granting of all forms of international protection and provides for social assistance for the beneficiaries. Two major amendments respectively introduced the status of subsidiary protection in 2008 and the principles of resettlement and relocation in 2011.

Integration law

Poland does not have a self-standing integration law.

Chapter 5 of the Act on Social Assistance, adopted in March 2004, regulates the Individual Integration Programmes for beneficiaries of international protection. An amendment of 2008 granted beneficiaries of subsidiary protection the right to participate in the 1-year programmes which were previously reserved for beneficiaries of international protection alone.

Citizenship law

The Act on Polish citizenship of 2 April 2009 regulates ways of acquiring and losing Polish citizenship. In 2017, a major amendment granting foreigners the right to apply for citizenship after 1 year of residence based on a permanent residence permit issued in connection to Polish origin or a valid Card of the Pole was introduced. Previously, the waiting period was of respectively 2 and 3 years.

Anti-discrimination law

The Act of 3 December 2010 implementing certain EU regulations concerning equal treatment specifies areas and methods of counteracting violations on equal treatment. It covers discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, ethnic origin, nationality, religion, denomination, beliefs, disability, age or sexual orientation. No major amendments have been made so far.

Act on assistance to Ukrainian citizens

The Act of 12 March 2022 on assistance to Ukrainian citizens in connection with the armed conflict on the territory of the country sets out specific rules for the legalisation of the residence of beneficiaries of temporary protection, as well as their employment and other entitlements.

On the national level, the Department of Social Assistance and Integration of the Ministry of Family and Social Policy leads the governance of integration issues in Poland. It implements the ministry’s policy, represents Poland at the European Integration Network (EIN) and coordinates the inter-ministerial Working Group for the Integration of Foreigners.

In 2022, the Department of Social Integration was established within the Prime Minister’s Office. Its tasks include supporting the implementation of policies aimed at the social integration of foreigners and Polish citizens and coordinating activities for the benefit of the foreign community carried out by public administration institutions, non-governmental organisations and entrepreneurs, in terms of relocating foreigners from large cities to smaller centres, especially in the areas of housing policy, professional activation, education and the development of local communities. To support its work, the Expert Team for Social Inclusion Strategy was appointed.

Local authorities, in addition, are responsible for the education of migrant children and the provision of social assistance through social assistance centres. They also implement the Individual Integration Programmes through local centres for family support. In big cities, they also provide funding to NGOs dealing with migrant integration.

Poland does not have a consultative body on migrant integration. However, representatives of NGOs, including migrant organisations, participate in the works of the inter-ministerial Working Group for the Integration of Foreigners and the Expert Team for Social Inclusion Strategy.

In 2009, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in partnership with the interior ministry, initiated a National Platform of Cooperation for Integration, which operated until 2018. The platform promoted information and experience exchanges between integration stakeholders such as government representatives, trade unions, employers’ organisations, media, NGOs and migrant associations. Its conclusions have contributed to the development of legislative and political strategies for the integration of migrants.

At the local level, since 2016, the first Polish Council of Immigrants has been operating at the City Hall of Gdansk.

Funding

Non-profit organisations and local authorities can apply for financing through several EU funds. In addition, national and private funds are made available for service providers and other stakeholders to carry out integration projects.

EU funds

Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) in Poland

• Details: NGOs in Poland have been eligible to apply for AMIF funding since 2019. The allocation for Poland under AMIF was nearly €283 million over the 2021-2027 period. Creating and implementing a national integration strategy is one of the integration priorities presented in the Polish AMIF programme. Other priorities include creating a network of Foreigner Integration Centres (CICs) based on the one-stop-shop formula and training of integration assistants.

• National managing authority: The national managing authority for AMIF in Poland is the Department of European Funds of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration.

European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) in Poland

• Details: The EU contributes €12.9 billion to Poland through the ESF+ over the 2021-2027 period. ESF+ in Poland is meant to help build skills for the green and digital transitions, as well as to bring support to the most vulnerable. About 10% of the latter target group includes people displaced from Ukraine. 

• National managing authority: The national managing authority for ESF in Poland is the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy.

Other EU funds for integration available in Poland

ERASMUS+, the EU’s programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe

National managing authority: Foundation for the Development of the Education System

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to strengthen economic and social cohesion in the EU by correcting regional imbalances

National managing authority: Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy

Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD), offering material assistance to the most vulnerable or in need

National managing authority: Ministry of Family and Social Policy

European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), supporting the development of rural economies and communities

National managing authority: Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development[RS2] 

European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF)

National managing authority: Ministry of Maritime and Inland Navigation; EMFF supports coastal communities in diversifying their economies and finances projects that create jobs and improve quality of life along European coasts

Other funds

Other public funding in Poland

• The Civic Initiatives Fund aims to increase the involvement of citizens and NGOs in public life through the development, implementation and monitoring of public policies.

• EEA and Norway Grants aim to contribute to a more equal Europe, both socially and economically. The goal of one of the programmes, the Active Citizens Funds, is to strengthen civil society and active citizenship as well as to empower vulnerable groups.

Private funding in Poland

The Hello Entrepreneurship Programme supports migrants’ social enterprises in Poland.

Providing integration services

• Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights: free legal assistance to beneficiaries of international protection and migrants
• Association for Legal Intervention: free legal advice to all, including foreigners, integration and language support
• The Halina Nieć Legal Aid Centre: free legal counselling to persons at risk of social exclusion and discrimination
• Caritas Poland's Centres for Migrants’ and Refugees’ Support:social, psychological and legal assistance
• Salvation Foundation: comprehensive direct support to foreigners (e.g. psychological assistance, legal counselling, help in searching for an apartment or a job, etc.) and conducting intercultural training for public officers
• Foundation for Somalia: Polish language courses, career, business, legal, integration and psychological counselling, intercultural workshops
• Our Choice Foundation: integration support, mainly for Ukrainian migrants
• Nomada: free consulting services, educational projects
• Homo Faber: integration support, training for migrant leaders

Implementing the integration programme

• Family support centres (Powiatowe centra pomocy rodzinie)
• Municipal institutions responsible for implementing the Individual Integration Programmes for foreigners granted international protection

Advocacy and campaigning

• International Organization for Migration
• The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR, Representation in Poland
• Polish Migration Forum: migrant rights and intercultural dialogue
• Foundation for Social Development: diversity and intercultural dialogue
• The Halina Nieć Legal Aid Centre
• Association for Legal Intervention

Publishing research and statistics

• Office for Foreigners
• The Halina Nieć Legal Aid Centre
• Central Statistical Office
• Association for Legal Intervention
• Institute of Public Affairs