Ukrainians in Poland: Over 40 billion zloty in taxes and contributions in one year

The economic footprint of Ukrainians in Poland over the past year has been substantial: their contribution to the gross domestic product amounted to approximately 94 billion zloty. This means that the Ukrainian community formed approximately 2.4% of the country's economy. In parallel, refugees transferred over 40 billion zloty to the budget in the form of taxes and mandatory contributions.

Data from international research

These figures are presented in a joint report published in early October by the consulting firm Deloitte and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). This is the third study by these organisations dedicated to analysing the situation of Ukrainians in Poland and their impact on the national economy.

The authors of the document believe that this contribution may grow in the future. The main factors should be the successful integration of Ukrainians into the labour market, the improvement of their qualifications, and their transition to higher-paid positions.

Activity in the labour market

The study analysed data on individuals who received the PESEL UKR identification code. This status is granted to people who crossed the border after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. Experts note that some refugees were not included in the sample because they changed their legal residence status after improving their situation. Therefore, the actual economic contribution of Ukrainians may be higher than stated in the report.

According to the study, 70–80% of Ukrainian refugees are economically active (i.e., working or actively seeking work). For comparison: among Polish citizens, this figure does not reach 60%.

An even higher level of activity is observed among Ukrainians who moved to Poland before the full-scale war: here it stands at 95–99%. A similar trend was also recorded by the state bank BGK in its 2024 study.

Experts explain the difference in figures by age structure: refugees are predominantly relatively young people, while the category of economically inactive individuals mainly includes pensioners, people with health problems, and those in education. Additional factors for successful employment are cited as the cultural proximity of the two peoples and the rapid learning of the Polish language.

Scale of payments to the budget

In 2025, Ukrainians with PESEL UKR status paid over 40 billion zloty in taxes and contributions. If considering the entire Ukrainian community in Poland, including those who resided in the country before the start of the full-scale war, insurance contributions to the Polish Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) alone exceeded 13 billion zloty last year.

ZUS head Liwiusz Laszka provided more recent figures: in the first half of 2026, Ukrainians have already transferred 7.4 billion zloty to the social security system.

Thus, the results of the work by Deloitte and UNHCR confirm the significant impact of Ukrainians on the Polish economy through employment, tax payments, and social contributions. It is expected that with the deepening of professional adaptation and the growth of incomes, this contribution may increase.