Poland Faces Influx of Ukrainians Seeking Work, Residency,

[JustJohn or JJ]

Poland Faces Influx of Ukrainians Seeking Work, Residency, Refugee Status

20:41 31.01.2015(updated 05:38 01.02.2015)


Poland has witnessed a dramatic rise in the number of Ukrainians applying for work and residency permits and refugee status due to the crisis in Ukraine.

MOSCOW, January 31 (Sputnik) — The number of Ukrainians applying for work permits, residency status and refugee status in Poland has grown dramatically in 2014 as a result of the economic and military crisis in Ukraine, Polish daily newspaper Rzeczpospolita has reported.

The paper noted that last year, the country's Office of Foreigners saw over 2,300 applications for refugee status from Ukraine, compared with just 86 a year earlier. The office also saw a nearly threefold rise in the number of residency permit applications, from about 12,900 in 2013 to 28,000 a year later. Hinting at the economic crisis engulfing Ukraine, the country's Ministry of Labor processed at least 359,000 applications for work, compared with 134,000 a year earlier.

Among the applications for refugee status, none have received it, the Polish Press Agency has reported earlier this week. The agency notes that the Office of Foreigners' decision is based on strict rules laid out in the Geneva Refugee Convention, which stipulates that individuals applying for the status must show that they are in fear of persecution and are unable to find shelter in other areas inside their own country. About a dozen applicants received 'tolerated' permits, allowing them to stay in the country.
Alexandra Wielgos from the Polish Produce Growers Association told Rzeczpospolita that "the situation in Ukraine is leading to the instance that they come not only to work, but also want to stay here." She notes that she has seen applications for work rise nearly tenfold.

The paper also quotes Alexandr, a Ukrainian from the Dnepropetrovsk region who has been living in Poland for over eight months. "Only 200 kilometers from my home, in Mariupol, there is war," Alexandr notes, adding that he fears that there is nothing for him to return to in Ukraine, noting the country's economic collapse and fearing for his safety. "I would like to bring my wife and daughter here, but the registration procedures are complicated," he noted.

Stanislav Kluza, a former government minister and economist from the Warsaw School of Economics told Rzeczpospolita that the growth in the number of people looking to come to Poland from Ukraine was an opportunity: "immigration gives us the opportunity to improve our demographic situation. Such a situation will not last forever." The newspaper also noted the positives for employers, noting that Ukraine is providing the country with "an army of workers who do not demand high wages." The United Nations believes that over 1.2 million people have been displaced in Eastern Ukraine as a result of the military conflict there between Kiev and independence supporters. At least 830,000 Ukrainians are believed to have fled for Russia since the beginning of the conflict, with hundreds of thousands of others internally displaced inside Ukraine

[pieter]

It is unfortunate for the real refugees that mass economical migration hinders their path to safety in the EU (Poland). In Europe we make a destintion between people who fled their country, because their life is in danger, they might be tortured or abused or face long prison sentences due to political (being dissidents), religous, cultural and ethnic reasons, and people who come to Europe for economical reasons.

So Ukrainians from Western, central or other safe parts of Ukraine hinder real Ukrainian refugees from Eastern-Ukraine. The Ukrainians that aren't Pro-Russian, and who are threatened by the seperatists. In the same time they might be hit (unintentionally) by the Ukrainian army who is at war with these rebels.

I hope that from humanitarian reasons and national and international law the real Ukrainian refugees (families) are allowed to stay in Poland and other European countries as long as their lives are endangered.

Think about those children, mothers, elderly and fathers that are shelled, bombed and shot at by snipers, paramilitary groups, armies and mercenaties. That due to the war they don't have a normal daily life and can't earn a daily living with a honest job.

For these people there is the principle of 'International Human Rights', solidarity, compassion, and the right to flee from an area where there is war, civil war and ethnic cleansing or other human rights violations.

Cheers,
Pieter

[Jaga]

+++The paper noted that last year, the country's Office of Foreigners saw over 2,300 applications for refugee status from Ukraine, compared with just 86 a year earlier. +++

It is still relatively low number comparing what the size of population in Ukraine is.

I wish that this conflict between Russia and Ukraine would at least heal a difficult Polish-Ukrainian history. Polish newspapers do not write a lot about Ukrainian re-settlers, so I am glad you found this information.