The number of Tajik migrants in Poland has increased

Poland is gradually becoming a new destination for labor migration for citizens of Tajikistan.

Marta Yaroshevich, a researcher at the Migration Research Center of the University of Warsaw, told Polish Radio that the number of labor migrants from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan is increasing.

According to Yaroshevich, there are about 1.5–2 million citizens of Ukraine and 150,000 citizens of Belarus living in Poland. There are also many migrants from Moldova and Georgia. From Central Asia, estimates suggest that 20–30 thousand people reside in Poland. Mainly, people from Central Asian countries come to work, but many students also arrive in Poland.

Additionally, the number of migrants from other regions of the world is growing in Poland — for example, from Colombia, Venezuela, Bangladesh, and India.

According to Marta Yaroshevich, in the first quarter of 2026, approximately 16,000 permits were issued to citizens of Uzbekistan, 12,000 to citizens of Kazakhstan, nearly 8,000 to citizens of Kyrgyzstan, and 6,000 to citizens of Tajikistan.

The expert believes that the large number of labor migrants from Uzbekistan in Poland can be explained by the country’s high population, the presence of an organized labor migration system, and the fact that the authorities of Uzbekistan are seeking new destinations for their citizens’ labor migration and are trying to ensure that they can work not only in Russia but also in other countries around the world.

Yaroshevich noted that the majority of migrants from Central Asia are men, and 80 percent of them previously worked in Russia. This, she said, indicates how migrants are losing interest in Russia.

Marta Yaroshevich believes that in the coming years, the number of citizens from Central Asia coming to Europe will significantly increase. According to her, this is related to the growing population in Central Asian countries, as well as the increasing number of young people, including students.

It is worth noting that the interest of labor migrants from Central Asian countries, including Tajikistan, in labor migration to Europe has intensified after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In the context of this war, it has become much more difficult for migrants to live and work in Russia. Among the main reasons are forced conscription to the war in Ukraine, inflation, and a decrease in real wages, new laws tightening the stay of foreigners, etc. As a result, migrants from Central Asian countries are seeking new destinations for labor migration.