In the first half of 2019, over 35,000 were spent. work permit for offices of Asian countries. Up to 42 percent more than in the same period of the previous year – finish with the data of the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy. In the first summaries of the year, the highest number of hits allowed by Nepalese (6.3 thousand), followed by Indians (4.3 thousand) and Bangladeshi (4.1 thousand).

In total, citizens of as many as 39 Asian countries applied for work permits in Poland. Experts point out that in the coming months employers will be more likely to reach for staff from Asia, due to difficulties in recruiting employees from Ukraine. However, the scale of their inflow will be much smaller.

In the first half of 2019, over 162 thousand work permits for Ukrainian citizens were issued, that was 47 percent more than a year ago. Definitely less, because only 35 thousand permits, went to the hands of Asian citizens. The scale is definitely smaller, but the increases are equally strong. Compared to the first half of 2018, this year companies in Poland employed as much as 42 percent more employees from Asia. The upward trend will continue.

The recruitment of Ukrainian employees is already becoming more and more difficult. Other European countries, such as Germany or the Czech Republic, tempt Ukrainians with better wages. And these are very important, especially if we consider the short and repetitive nature of economic immigration from Ukraine. Our eastern neighbors want the highest possible earnings in a short time, and it’s easier in Germany than in Poland. Of course, we still have some advantages over other countries, such as geographical and linguistic proximity, but this does not change the fact that the growing number of companies will be reaching further and further east to fill the staff gap. That is why the Asian countries will become an attractive source of employees.

Asia is a very extensive continent, including both the Middle East and island Japan. It is a real cultural, linguistic and religious mix, but very different from European societies. Employers will have to face the barriers resulting from these differences and the process of adaptation of Asian employees to Polish working conditions.