Global recruitment is becoming a necessity. Poland looks further than ever
Complicated procedures make it difficult to access candidates from outside Europe, although the direction of Asia, Africa and South America seems inevitable. Moreover, fears related to the employment of migrants are fueled among the public, which may further exacerbate the situation related to insufficient labor in the coming months. Especially in the perspective of seasonal work. Today, the lowest unemployment rate in the entire European Union – 2.6% according to Eurostat – affects the growing problems in filling staff shortages. How long will the labor market withstand this?
Recruiting Far Ahead
In response to current staff shortages, companies are starting to look for employees from further corners of the world. Candidates from Colombia, Mexico, Nepal, India and the Philippines are already being recruited to work in Poland. These people are primarily located in the operational sectors – production, logistics, catering and retail – which are most affected by staff shortages, according to analyses by the LeasingTeam Group, which deals with comprehensive HR solutions for companies.
In one of the companies where we onboarded employees from Colombia, only 2 out of 50 people resigned after a year. Retention is incomparable. The candidates are also very motivated – already at the training stage, we saw greater commitment than in the case of employees from Ukraine or Poland – says Daniel Sola, Director of the Department of Recruitment and Legalization of Foreigners at LeasingTeam Group.
It is also becoming increasingly clear that Ukrainian citizens – after several years of working in Poland – today have higher expectations of employers. It is not only about the rate, but also about the accommodation conditions, the type of tasks performed or development opportunities.
This is a natural process: people who have been associated with the Polish market for a longer period of time no longer want to do the work they initially took up temporarily ,” notes Daniel Sola.
What’s next for employees from Ukraine?
According to LeasingTeam Group’s estimates, based on a survey of over 500 employees, 52% of Ukrainians plan to stay in Poland, 26% are considering returning, and 22% are still hesitating. Their decisions depend, m.in on the conditions of legalization of stay and stability of employment.
As a result of long-term conflict and the accompanying uncertainty, social and professional ties are strengthened. It is very clear that some employees from Ukraine are thinking about returning, but at the same time more and more people want to anchor here for longer. For them, Poland is not only a place of work, but also a place of life. Among other things, how quickly and efficiently we offer them stable conditions will depend on whether they will stay – comments Daniel Sola.
Ukrainians currently account for 75% of all foreign employees employed by LeasingTeam Group. In this group, 80% work physically (blue collar) and 20% occupy office positions. According to ZUS data from the end of November 2024, 794 thousand Ukrainian citizens were insured in Poland – 456 thousand on full-time jobs and 300 thousand on civil law contracts .
Lower costs, longer procedures
Recruitment from South America is one of the biggest untapped advantages of the Polish labor market today. The costs of the recruitment process can be up to ten times lower than in the case of citizens from Ukraine. Candidates are motivated, but access to them is blocked by time-consuming and unpredictable procedures.
We observe significant formal restrictions in recruitment from more geographically distant countries. Procedures can be so long and complicated that it is difficult to consider them as a real tool for supplementing the staff – points out Justyna Gosk, Operational Director of LeasingTeam Group.
One of the biggest challenges remains the time-consuming nature of procedures and their unpredictability. The applicable statutory deadlines stipulate a maximum of 30 days for issuing a work permit – in practice, it is often 3-4 months. In the case of visas – even two years, and without a guarantee that they will be granted.
Migration is a necessity, but we cannot treat it as the only solution to staffing problems. Without a stable and predictable legal framework, it is difficult to talk about long-term planning. Entrepreneurs can cope with time and procedures, but they cannot cope with chaos – says Andżelika Majewska, Vice President of LeasingTeam Group.
According to the data of the Polish Economic Institute, by 2035 2.1 million people will leave the Polish labour market – this is 12.6% of current employment. The largest losses will affect industry, education and health care. In the private sector, on the other hand, production, logistics, catering and retail are among the industries most dependent on the work of Ukrainian citizens. Even a partial weakening of this resource can mean operational difficulties and increased costs for companies.
Global Recruiting Is Not a Plan B
Today, diversification of recruitment directions is not only a response to current staffing problems, but a way to build long-term operational resilience.
When one source stops working, the other allows you to maintain continuity. For our customers, it is often not a choice, but a necessity. It’s not just about replacing – it’s about reaching where existing solutions no longer work – emphasizes Daniel Sola.
Candidates from Colombia, Mexico and Nepal are increasingly filling staff gaps where Ukrainians no longer want to work, i.e. in the most demanding, physical production and logistics roles.
Labour migration from further directions – Asia or South America – is no longer an alternative, but is becoming a potential foundation for a new structure of the labour market. However, without ensuring consistent and predictable legal procedures, Poland may not be able to use this potential.
If we do not start treating global recruitment as a critical infrastructure for the labor market – other countries will. We need a system that will not only get people to work, but will do it fast enough for companies to operate before we feel the consequences of the demographic collapse and record low unemployment.
