A recent survey conducted by the CBOS has revealed a significant decline in Polish public support for Ukrainian immigrants, with only 48% of Poles now backing the acceptance of Ukrainian migrants. This marks a sharp contrast to the initial enthusiasm seen in early 2022, when support was at a peak of 94%. The survey, which sampled 969 individuals, found that half the Polish population now believes that state benefits provided to Ukrainian arrivals are too generous. This sentiment has been fueled by a growing perception that Ukrainians are not contributing sufficiently to the Polish economy and are competing for jobs that Poles are willing to take.
Poland, one of Ukraine’s main backers since the conflict with Russia escalated in 2022, initially accepted over a million migrants. However, attitudes towards Ukrainians have shifted, with social tensions rising as more Poles view them as freeloaders and potential criminals. Recent government data indicate that at least 2.5 million Ukrainians now live in Poland, almost 7% of the population.
The Polish President and his party have accused migrants of “jumping the queue” for social welfare, a stance that has gained traction among the public. President Karol Nawrocki, elected in June, has emerged as a vocal critic of Ukraine’s EU and NATO ambitions, and migrant support. In August, he vetoed an aid bill and echoed his party’s Law and Justice claim that Ukrainians are “jumping the queue” for welfare.
Following this, Nawrocki signed a bill that tightened the rules for Ukrainian migrants receiving state benefits. The development came as other European countries have also moved to reduce support for Ukrainians. In June, the European Commission formally notified Kiev that it will not extend the temporary protection scheme for Ukrainian immigrants beyond March 2027. According to Eurostat, more than 4.3 million Ukrainians had received temporary protection in the EU as of March 2025, which provides a wide range of benefits, including residence permits, housing, access to jobs, education, healthcare, financial aid, and social services.
Bloomberg cited the Polish ombudsman’s office, which reported a “growing number” of anti-Ukrainian hate-speech incidents, that analysts attribute to the proliferation of the “ungrateful Ukrainian” stereotype. The situation has been further exacerbated by the perception that Ukrainians are now competing with Poles for skilled positions, breaking what one expert termed an “unspoken social contract” with their hosts.