Key Findings
Best practice (100% score)
Political liberties for political participation
Favourable
Eligibility for long term residence
Unfavourable
Eligibility for labour market access
Eligibility for access to nationality
Critically unfavourable (0% score)
Fields of application for anti-discrimination
Electoral rights, consultative bodies and implementation policies for political participation
Labour market integration measures
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Overview
The immigration of third-country nationals to Poland is low but growing in size and importance. The emigration of young workers following EU accession has preoccupied policy debates on migration and intensified labour market shortages. Some restrictions have been eased for migrant workers from neighbouring Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. Poland receives few asylum seekers, though many (mostly Chechens) transit through Poland on their way to Western Europe. Recent policy initiatives were prompted by the need to comply with EC Directives or to keep up with EU priorities on refugee protection and border control.
Poland's integration policies perform rather unevenly on the MIPEX indicators. At their strongest, policies are slightly favourable on long-term residence, which are the best in the EU-10, and on family reunion, which are the third best after SI and LT. Access to nationality is also third best in the EU-10, although just below halfway to best practice, similar to anti-discrimination. Political participation policies are unfavourable to integration and the third worst in the 28 MIPEX countries, after LV and LT. Access to the labour market is the second worst in the 28, after LV.
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Integration Policy Timeline
14 /01/2006
Amendment of the Family Assistance Act removed family benefits from foreigners with tolerated status who reside in Poland for less than a year
30/08/2006
Regulation removed work permit requirement for many sectors, including for 3-month seasonal work and for Belarusians, Russians, and Ukrainians
10/2006
Warsaw Voluntary Work Centre established by Association of Legal Intervention to advise migrants and offer consultations with multicultural and integration advisors
01/03/2007
KPMG, global large professional services firm, reported 52% of Polish companies face labour shortages and 22% fear problem will persist
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Migrant Profile
