For a month of seasonal agricultural work in Poland, Ukrainians can earn as much money as they receive in 10 months in Ukraine. This is so profitable that poor Ukrainians prefer to spend their holidays on the farmer’s fields in Poland, and not in the resorts. Diligence enables Ukrainians to save their own country.
Agriculture is not an industry where workers can earn big money. All over the world, agricultural work is considered not prestigious, hard and poorly paid. But. The situation changes when it comes to labor immigration. For residents of poor countries, seasonal agricultural work in economically developed countries is a real gold mine. An example of this is the Ukrainians.
Ukrainians follow the global trend for immigration
Immigration has become a global trend. In 2000, 2.8 per cent of the world’s population were immigrants. In 2019, this figure was already 3.5 per cent.1 Most immigrants are intra-continental immigrants. Travel between continents is too expensive. Therefore, most people prefer to seek happiness in the continent they live on. Most of these immigrants are labor immigrants.
Ukrainians make up the bulk of such intra-continental immigrants in Europe. The most active Ukrainians go to work in Poland. This is the largest of the European countries closest to Ukraine. In total, about 1.5 million Ukrainians work in Poland.2 Of these, the largest part, 47 per cent, come to work for less than three months. This category also includes people who come for temporary agricultural work. By comparison, 30 per cent of Ukrainian immigrants come to Poland to work for a period of 3 to 6 months. Another 14 per cent of Ukrainians work in Poland for 6-12 months. Only 4 per cent of Ukrainians work in Poland for more than one year.3
The popularity of short-term jobs is easy to explain. Polish businessmen are trying to hire immigrants for hard and low-paid work. Such work is not attractive in the long run. But good for replenishing the family budget. Seasonal agricultural work is the most attractive part of short-term earnings in Poland. Agriculture has a pronounced seasonal character. Therefore, seasonal workers are most in demand in this industry.
These people are very necessary for the Polish state. The local government even made a special labor contract that regulates the attraction of foreign labor immigrants for seasonal work in agriculture in Poland. This employment contract, called “Help in Harvesting” (Umowa o pomocy przy zbiorach) entered into force on May 16, 2018.4 The Polish government has also made it easier for a foreigner to obtain the right to work. It takes no more than 7 days!5
As a result, seasonal agricultural work has become a legal and safe source of income for foreigners. The main threat to labor immigrants has been eliminated on the Polish labor market. This is a payroll scam. People can go to work with farmers without the risk of being scammed. Judge for yourself. For the whole of 2022, out of 1.5 million Ukrainians working in Poland, only 7,482 people were convicted of working illegally.6 This is a fantastic result!
Jobs in Polish agriculture for Ukrainians
The place of work of Ukrainians is determined by the structure of agriculture in Poland.7 Usually Ukrainians work on pig farms, in apple orchards or in fields where vegetables are grown. Ukrainian citizens are also engaged in picking berries. Due to Russian aggression, the number of Ukrainians in Poland has grown dramatically. This increased the demand for vacancies. Seasonal agricultural work is especially popular with Ukrainians. As a result, the number of vacancies in this industry decreased by 41 per cent.8
However, there are still vacancies. The largest and most popular resources contain about 4000-5000 job offers. An example of one of these resources allows us to understand what offers of seasonal agricultural work await Ukrainians in Poland.9
Recruiting agencies dominate the market. Intermediaries control approximately 90 per cent of all vacancies. Another 10 per cent of job offers are made by employers. A third of the vacancies do not require any experience. Slightly more than half of all job openings offer salaries between US$740 and US$1,234* per month. This is the average salary. Good salary over US$1500 per month. However, such vacancies account for only 5 per cent of the total market volume. The same proportion of vacancies falls on minimum wages of up to US$740.
Here is one of the jobs. “Workers are needed for agricultural work in the city of Karwice. We make seasonal work permits. We invite men, women and couples under 55. We need a biometric passport for a visa or a ready-made visa. Wage is US$3.5 (14 zł) per hour. There is a possibility additional work. Responsibilities of workers: simple field work that does not require special knowledge and experience. Loading and unloading inventory and work material. Weeding, watering, fertilizing plants. Harvesting. Cover plants with foil. Working hours: Monday-Saturday 9 hours a day. Sunday is a day off. Work clothes are issued according to the weather. Accommodation in a hostel. The hostel has everything you need. Hostel next to the fields. Payment of US$50 (PLN 200) per month for utilities. This money is deducted from the salary”.10
As you can see, there are age restrictions. But the employer offers housing, work clothes, as well as assistance with paperwork. Payment is hourly.
What is agricultural work in Poland in reality
Oksana Pitchenko told us about what seasonal agricultural earnings are in reality. This 39 year old Ukrainian woman lives near the city of Rivne. She has two children and works as a junior nurse in a Ukrainian hospital. Oksana does not miss the opportunity to earn extra money in Poland.
What seasonal agricultural work do residents of Western Ukraine go to Poland for?
Oksana: Residents of Western Ukraine go to Poland to harvest strawberries, blueberries, apples. Ukrainians also go to weed fields. It all depends on the personal preferences of the people. Someone is better at picking berries, someone is better at tearing grass. To understand what kind of work suits you best, you need to go to Poland several times. Only after that, knowledge appears on how to make better money on seasonal agricultural work.
Residents of the Rivne region travel to Poland so often that there is no place to put stamps on crossing the border in old-style passports. The season starts from May and continues until the end of August. From time to time there is a fashion for work in any other countries. However, Poland all the time remains the main place for agricultural work. This is the largest and closest European labor market for Ukraine.
How much can you earn per month? How much more than in Ukraine?
Oksana: A good worker earns about 6,000 PLN or US$1,500 per month. For comparison, in the Ukrainian regions next to Poland, the salary is 150-200 dollars. That’s how much I and my girlfriends get in the hospital. That is, in Ukraine, you have to work 7-10 months to earn a monthly salary in Poland.
But there is one caveat. Lately in Poland prices have risen sharply. As a result, actual earnings have declined somewhat. The number of vacancies has also decreased in Poland. As the number of people willing to work has increased. In other European countries, wages are higher and more job offers. But the prices are also higher there. Therefore, the actual income is the same as in Poland. Residents of Western Ukraine know this well. Therefore, they try to go to Poland, which is the closest.
Share the details of Ukrainian trips to Poland.
Oksana: The Rivne region is located on the very border with Poland. It takes only 4-6 hours to drive to major Polish cities. But this time does not take into account waiting at the border. There are times when you have to stand at customs for about a day. Especially a long wait [with the] changing shifts of customs officers.
Ukrainians usually go to work during holidays. To increase the vacation time, they use time off or various tricks. For example, they try to take a vacation that is combined with long holidays. In this way, it is possible to increase the working time by several days. Hard-working Ukrainians from the Rivne region usually go to Poland once a year to work.
Seasonal work in agriculture is like gambling. Many factors affect what the result will be. For example, you can collect more berries from high climbing bushes than from small and low bushes. And they pay money for the weight or volume of the harvested berry. No one knows in advance what kind of berry bushes will be. That’s why sometimes people cry with disappointment when they get low bushes. The weather also matters a lot. When the weather is bad, the berries ripen worse. That’s why the harvest is less. And that means less income.
This year one of my friends went to pick blackberries. She made several hundred dollars. Because it rained most of the time. And my other friend went to harvest strawberries. The weather was good at that time. This girl earned almost 2 thousand dollars in 3 weeks! But this result comes at a high cost. The girl hurt her back. The berries were easy to pick. But the harvest had to be carried far. The baskets were heavy.
A good trip to Poland is when the weather is not hot without rain, free accommodation and free delivery to the place of work. People are trying to find out where there are good farmers. Such businessmen go to work every year.
Can seasonal agricultural earnings in Poland be the beginning of moving to this country?
Oksana: Seasonal agricultural work is usually not a reason to stay in Poland. Ukrainians earn money and then go home. But those who work at industrial enterprises, many of them stay and draw up documents for permanent residence.
Conclusion
It turns out that agriculture in Poland is an opportunity to support but not leave your home in Ukraine. Seasonal agricultural work in Poland is the most patriotic way of earning money abroad.
As we see Ukrainians doing agricultural work in Poland, this is more than an attempt to make money. This is the desire to preserve their home, family and national identity. Yes. Ukraine is going through hard times. But the inhabitants of this country are trying to be the best for their homeland.
* At the rate of 1 zloty = $0.25
References
1. https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/project/2021/workineu/article1.html
2. https://www.epravda.com.ua/rus/news/2021/07/20/676090/
3. https://www.epravda.com.ua/rus/news/2021/07/13/675887/ 4. https://www.gopoland.net.ua/2018/05/15/v-polshe-bjut-trevogu-ukraincy-bolshe-ne-hotjat-rabotat-na-poljah/
5. https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/project/2021/workineu/article1.html
6. https://www.epravda.com.ua/rus/news/2023/02/13/696991/
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture_in_Poland
8. https://forbes.ua/ru/money/milyoni-ukraintsiv-vtekli-vid-viyni-do-polshchi-de-voni-pratsyuyut-skilki-zaroblyayut-ta-vitrachayut-25012023-11318
9. https://flagma.pl/ru/vacancies/selskoe-hozyaystvo/
10. https://m.facebook.com/weworkinpoland/photos/a.1926022184349803/2952631065022238/?type=3&_rdr
