Fewer Ukrainians in Poland: what is really happening

10.09.2026, 12:05 visitukraine.today

The number of Ukrainians registered for temporary protection in Poland has gone down. Discover what is behind the change and where Ukrainians are going

Eurostat data shows that fewer Ukrainians were registered under temporary protection in Poland in July 2026 than a month earlier.

The difference was about 8,100 people. In June, the figure had also fallen, by around 6,300. That puts the total decrease over the two months at approximately 14,400 people. Compared with the population of Ukrainians covered by temporary protection in Poland, which is close to one million, this amounts to roughly 1.5%.

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That number alone does not tell us where those people went. Some may have left Poland, while others may have changed their residence status or returned to Ukraine.

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Poland is not the only country where Ukrainians are living and working. When someone disappears from the temporary-protection statistics for Poland, it does not automatically mean that this person has left the EU.

There are several possible explanations. A Ukrainian may receive another type of residence permit and remain in Poland. They may move to another EU country. Some people also return to Ukraine.

Germany continues to have the largest Ukrainian population under temporary protection. Around 1.29 million people were recorded there in June 2026. Czechia had about 381,000 people with this status by the end of June. Spain, Romania and Slovakia also host sizeable Ukrainian communities, with approximately 272,300, 219,400 and 149,000 people respectively in July.

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Czechia is particularly interesting in this context. The number of Ukrainians there increased by several thousand during the same period in which Poland recorded another decline. This does not prove that these people moved directly from Poland to Czechia, but the two trends are taking place at the same time.

For some Ukrainians, the decision to move may be connected with work, housing or the support available in a particular country. Others may simply be joining relatives or friends who have already settled there.

There is another figure that makes the situation in Poland harder to describe as a mass departure.

The number of Ukrainians working in the country has reached a new record. According to the Central Statistical Office (GUS), 784,000 Ukrainian citizens were working in Poland as of March 31, 2026. The figure was 9.7% higher than a year earlier and exceeded the previous record from November 2025 by 15,000 people. Statistics Poland has also published a dedicated March 2026 release on foreigners working in Poland.

Ukrainians accounted for 68% of all employed foreigners in Poland.

This is relevant because temporary protection is not the only possible legal basis for staying in the country. Someone who has found a job and obtained a residence permit based on employment may no longer appear in the temporary-protection figures in the same way.

There was also a record number of applications for temporary residence permits in Poland during the first half of 2026. Work and employment were among the main reasons for applying.

In other words, the number of Ukrainians under temporary protection and the total number of Ukrainians living in Poland are not the same thing. One can fall while the other remains stable or even grows.

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The employment figures support this distinction. Poland is still a major destination for Ukrainian workers, and many people who arrived under temporary protection have now had several years to find work, arrange housing and establish a more permanent life in the country.

A decrease of 14,400 people sounds substantial when presented as a standalone figure. Against a population of almost one million Ukrainians with temporary protection, however, it is a relatively small change.

There is another point that is easy to miss when looking only at the monthly statistics. Temporary protection was created as an emergency form of protection. It does not necessarily remain the legal status a person uses forever.

A Ukrainian who has found a job, settled their family and meets the requirements for another residence permit may decide to change their status without leaving Poland.

The employment figures are consistent with this possibility. The number of Ukrainian workers has reached 784,000, even though the number registered for temporary protection has recently declined.

Some Ukrainians are also choosing other European countries. Czechia is one example, while Germany and Spain remain major destinations. EU temporary protection gives Ukrainians the possibility of living and working in participating countries, so a move from one country to another does not necessarily mean leaving Europe.

And, of course, some people do return to Ukraine. There is no precise figure showing how many of those who disappeared from Poland's temporary-protection statistics have gone back, so it would be premature to treat returns as the main explanation.

The picture is therefore more complicated than the phrase "mass exodus from Poland" suggests. The numbers reflect several things happening at once: changes in residence status, movement between EU countries and, to a lesser extent, returns to Ukraine.

Poland still has one of the largest Ukrainian communities in Europe. The country's labour market is also employing a record number of Ukrainian citizens.

Get expert guidance for your move to Poland! Schedule a consultation with a Visit Ukraine immigration lawyer and receive personalized recommendations based on your situation — whether you're seeking temporary protection, finding work, or transitioning to long-term residence!

We remind you! If you are planning to go to Poland, we recommend reviewing the current border crossing rules for Ukrainians in 2026. This way, you will know what documents are needed to pass border control quickly and without problems.

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