International Organization for Migration (IOM)

Improving Access to Labour market Information for migrants and employers
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Table 8.3 Number of declarations on the intention to entrust employment to foreigners
with breakdown of nationalities from 2007 to 2011
Year Nationality
Ukraine Belarus Russia Moldova Georgia Total
2007 20,260 1,347 190 0 0 21,797
2008 142,960 12,606 1,147 0 0 156,713
2009 180,133 4,860 674 2,747 0 188,414
2010 169,490 3,623 595 5,912 453 180,073
2011 239,646 4,370 963 13,024 1,774 259,777
Source: Author’s compilation based on the data from the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy.
Sectorial structure of foreigners’ employment
The data concerning employment-based migration on work permits and qualitative
research performed amongst employers demonstrate that third-country nationals are
mostly employed in small businesses and households. On the other hand, European
Union citizens are mostly employed in large and medium-sized enterprises. This
is relevant data when considering designing information systems and employment
agencies for foreigners in Poland. In 2011 the greatest number of foreigners worked
in construction, wholesale and retail trade sectors and in households, probably in
domestic assistance. Almost 50 per cent of all work permits were cumulated in those
three sectors.
The largest number, namely almost 50 per cent, of declarations on the intention
to entrust employment to foreigners was recorded in the agricultural sector.
Construction ranked second (22%). Those figures clearly show that in the case of
this form of employment entrusted to migrants we mainly deal with them being
employed in the secondary labour market segment. The situation has not changed
since the time when declarations were introduced, that is since 2007 (see: Annex
3.I).
1.2. Immigration policy
After accession to the European Union, Poland opted for a far-reaching liberalization
of the legislation regulating inflow of foreigners into the labour market. In 2007,
largely as a result of requests by employers, the rules of the so-called labour market
test were changed (a two-stage procedure was abandoned) and simplified procedures
were introduced for hiring seasonal workers from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. In the
years that followed there has been a further liberalization of the relevant legislation.
As an example, the number of countries whose citizens are allowed to take seasonal
employment in Poland on the basis of employers’ declarations was expanded (to
include Moldova and Georgia), and foreign graduates from Polish higher education
institutions were allowed to seek employment without being obliged to obtain a
permit. Presently the rules of foreigners’ employment in the Polish labour market may