Professional Documents
Culture Documents
| 2022 — 2023 |
POLAND
Surveys with Refugees from Ukraine:
Needs, Intentions, and Integration
Challenges
© IOM 2023
January-March 2023
Country Report & Data Analysis
The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views
of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The designations employed and the presentation of
material throughout the report do not imply expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IOM
TABLE OF CONTENTS
concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning its
frontiers or boundaries.
IOM is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. As
an intergovernmental organization, IOM acts with its partners in the international community to: assist in 1. Socio-Demographic Profile 5
meeting the operational challenges of migration; advance understanding of migration issues; encourage social Oblast (region) of origin 5
and economic development through migration; and uphold the human dignity and well-being of migrants. Gender and age 6
Marital status 6
Documents possessed at the time of interview 6
Average time spent outside Ukraine since initial displacement 7
This publication was made possible through the support provided by Council of Europe Development Bank,
U.S Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), the German Federal Foreign 2. Intentions 8
Office, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Intention to move elsewhere or stay in current location 8
Intended length of stay in current location 8
Publisher Intended country of destination 9
International Organization for Migration International Organization for Migration Reasons for selecting elsewhere in Poland or other countries as destination 9
Regional Office for South-Eastern Europe, Eastern Country Office Poland Reasons for returning to Ukraine 9
Europe and Central Asia
Dampfschiffstrasse 4/10-11, 1030 Vienna, Austria Wiejska 12 str., Warsaw, Poland 3. Education and Employment: Profile and Prospects 10
+43 1 581 22 22 +48 22 538 91 03 Main spoken language 10
Website: https://rovienna.iom.int/ Website: DTM Poland
Other spoken language(s) 10
Contact: ROViennaDataResearch-Newsletter@ Contact: iomdtmpoland@iom.int
Education level 10
iom.int
Employment status 11
This map is for illustration purposes only. The boundaries and names shown, and the designations used on this map do not imply official This map is for illustration purposes only. The boundaries and names shown, and the designations used on this map do not imply official
endorsement or acceptance by IOM. endorsement or acceptance by IOM.
4 5
UKRAINE CRISIS RESPONSE | 2022 — 2023 | UKRAINE CRISIS RESPONSE | 2022 — 2023 |
POLAND POLAND
Marital status Average time spent outside Ukraine since initial displacement
The approximate duration of displacement can reflecting the high inflow of refugees from Ukraine
More than half of the respondents (59%) were The share of married persons was slightly higher be assessed looking at the difference between to Poland in the first months of the war. A
married. This was followed by 23 per cent of among women than among men (59% versus 56%), respondents’ initial date of displacement from Ukraine, comparatively low share of respondents reported that
respondents who were divorced, 14 per cent who were while women were more likely to be divorced than and the date of interview. Most respondents were their initial displacement took place during the winter
single, and 2 per cent who were widowed. men in the sample (24% versus 18%). Men were more initially displaced in the first half of 2022, when the war period of December 2022-February 2023 (6%),
likely to be single than women (21% versus 13%). started. For example, 41 per cent of respondents were whereas this share started increasing again for March
Figure 2: Marital status, by gender and total (%) initially displaced in the period of February-May 2022, 2023.
Table 1:Approximate time spent in displacement until date of interview (%), N=354
24% 23% 21%
18% 14%
13%
2% 2% 2% 0% 3% 1% 0% 1% 0% Date since initial displacement Approximate time spent until date of interview % Of respondents
Married Divorced Single widowed Partnership Prefers not to answer Before 2022 >2 years 1%
The majority of the respondents travelled with more ID card and 13% with their driver’s license. 3 per cent 12%
Sep-Nov 22 4-6 months
than one document. That being said, most respondents of respondents indicated that they travelled with other
documents, 0.6 per cent with a permanent residence 6%
travelled with their biometric passports (62%) and their Dec-22 to Feb-23 1-3 months
non-biometric passports (47%). Another 27 per cent permit and 0.1 per cent did not have any kind of
Mar-23 <1 month 26%
travelled with their birth certificate and education documentation with them at the time of the interview.
certificate respectively, 20 per cent travelled with their
6 7
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POLAND POLAND
Figure 4: Respondents’ intention to move from current location, by gender and total (%) 17%
12% 13%
9% 9%
8%
5% 5%
Close to Family/relatives Better No specific Friends in the Better chance Homanitarian Received a job Group Other
home/Ukraine there protection reason area to find a job assistance offer members
system expired travel there
8 9
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POLAND POLAND
Female respondents were more likely than their male education (53% versus 42%). In the recruitment process 1%
Figure 10: Education level, by gender and total (%) Figure 12: Polish language skills and employment status (%), N=1745
1% 4% 4% 4%
0.4% 0.5% 0.1% 0.0% 0.1% 0.5% 1% 1%
Employed Unemployed and looking for a job Unemployed and not looking for a job
Primary Secondary Post secondary Tertiary Post graduate Other
Polish language skills No Polish language skills
Women Men Total
10 11
UKRAINE CRISIS RESPONSE | 2022 — 2023 | UKRAINE CRISIS RESPONSE | 2022 — 2023 |
POLAND POLAND
Other 4% 17% 5%
Do not know 4% 0% 4%
Work permit 0% 17% 1%
Figure 16: Obstacles accessing healthcare (%)
N=1461
Access to finances Fifty per cent of respondents indicated that they haven’t faced any obstacles accessing healthcare, while twenty-five
Figure 13:Ability to withdraw money with a foreign
per have chosen other as their response and eleven per cent indicated that they didn’t know what their obstacles
debit/credit card (%) N=1,536
Eighty-seven per cent of respondents had were.
been able to withdraw money using foreign Both language barrier and lack of needed services were chosen by 6% of respondents each, followed by
credit/debit card since leaving Ukraine, lack of transport to services (3%), lack of necessary documents (2%) and high cost (1%).
while e i g h t per cent had not. The remaining
five per cent either had not needed to or had
not attempted. 50%
None Other Doesn't know Language barrier Services not Lack of Lack of Prefers not to Cost
availbale transport to documents answer
services
12 13
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POLAND POLAND
5%
Types of accommodation Experiences of discrimination Figure 20: Reported experiences of discrimination (%)
18%
41%
Forty-one per cent of respondents were residing in Eleven per cent of respondents indicated having
private accommodation, while thirty-five per cent have experienced discrimination in their country of 11%
20%
stated that they were staying in collective sites. displacement. In contrast, 86 per cent indicated having
Number of respondents residing in private no such experiences. The remaining three per cent either Yes
35%
accommodation added up to 18% while other types did not know (2%) or preferred not to answer (1%). 2%
of accommodation option was chosen by 5%. When looking at the data disaggregated by gender, No
Other Private free Collective Private paid
10% who have experienced discrimination identify as
female, while 1% as male. Doesn’t know
Figure 17: Types of accommodation respondents
resided in (%)
Prefers not to
Immediate needs Figure 18: Needs at the time of interview (%) answer
(more than one answer possible)
The most immediate need at the moment of the 86%
interview was financial support for 52 per cent of Financial Support 52% Inclusion challenges
respondents, followed by health services (31%), medicines Health Services 31%
(29%), a n d long-term accommodation (27% each). Medicines 29% F o r t y - t h r e e per cent of respondents indicated were: lack of information on employment opportunities
A noticeable share of respondents also reported to be in
Housing 27% financial issues as the top inclusion challenge, along with (9%), overall lack of information (7%) and services (6%).
need of employment (9%), language courses (8%) general
Employment 9% language issues (40%). This was followed by lack of Six per cent of respondents have experienced
Language Courses 8% employment (22%), housing (21%) and lack of access to discrimination while five per cent have mentioned their
information (7%) and food supply (7%). General Information 7% schools (15%). Other challenges marked by experience with racism.
Food Supply 7%
respondents that hindered their st ay in Po lan d
None 5%
Psychological Counselling 5% Figure 21: Top 10 inclusion challenges (%) N=81
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POLAND POLAND
Travel mode Figure 20: Travel mode by gender and total (%) This report is based on a survey of displacement Country-level implementation and
71%
patterns, needs and intentions conducted by IOM’s limitations
65%
Seventy-one per cent of respondents were travelling in Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) in the 11
countries included in the Regional Response Plan for Since March of 2022 DTM has been carrying out a
a group. The other 29 per cent were travelling by 25% 29% Needs and Intentions (Entry) Survey with a purpose
themselves. Female respondents were much more Ukraine in 2023: 6 countries neighbouring Ukraine –
4% 6% Belarus, Hungary, Poland, Republic of Moldova, of identifying the intentions, challenges, and key
likely to be travelling in a group (65%) rather than demographics of Ukrainians crossing into Poland from
alone (25%). Romania and Slovakia – and other 5 countries
Women Men Total Ukraine. This survey is conducted in the Podkarpackie,
particularly impacted by the arrivals of refugees from
Alone In a group Ukraine since the start of the war in February 2022 – Lubelskie, Pomorskie, Malopolskie and Mazowieckie
Poland, Czechia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. voivodeships. The survey respondents include both
Out of those travelling in a group (N=1296), 89 per cent at least one elderly person. Of the elderly persons in a adult individuals and households or travel groups of
were travelling with family, six per cent with relatives group 60% were elderly women, and 40% were elderly both Ukrainian citizens and TCNs (third-country-
The analysis presented in this report is based on data
and six per cent with neighbours. Moreover, 23 per cent men. Fifty-three per cent were travelling with at least nationals).
collected between January and March 2023 using
were travelling with one child.
mobile device data collection tools. The sampling
approach, main definitions and features of the survey As of 24th April, there are a total of 996,000 active
Figure 21: Travelling groups (%) N=1296 tool make country-level datasets comparable. PESEL registrations (Otwarte Dane). This is the
(more than one answer possible) closest estimation to the number of refugees in
89% Face-to-face surveys were conducted in Poland by 12 Poland. As our sample size is approximately 1814
trained enumerators with adult refugees from persons, our data cannot be considered
Ukraine and other TCNs (18 years of age and representative, and is only indicative of the needs and
above). Prior to the start of the survey, all situations of refugees inside the country. The survey
6% 0% 6% enumerators were trained by IOM on DTM respondents are chosen at random from locations
standards, the use of the Kobo application, IOM's within four primary transit and reception locations
Family Relatives Colleagues Neighbours
approach to migrants’ protection and assistance, the that receive high volumes of individuals entering
ethics of data collection and the provision of Poland either via public or private transport. The data
information and referral mechanisms in place. and analysis should be interpreted only as an
Travelling with persons with health conditions Figure 22: Respondents travelling with at least one p illustration of the current situation for individuals who
and disabilities erson with a serious health conditions (%) N=994 Respondents were approached in a simple random are fleeing Ukraine and entering Poland.
(more than one answer possible) sample by enumerators at selected entry, exit,
Out of those travelling in a group, 35 per cent were transit points and accommodation centres. In border Since the beginning of this data exercise following
travelling with at least one person with a chronic crossing point areas persons entering by car, by bus limitations have been identified: difficulty in reaching
Chronic disease 92%
disease or a serious medical condition. and by train were interviewed. participants outside of collective sites (those who are
Ninety-two per cent were travelling with a person Visual impairment 9% staying in private accommodation, and who do not
with chronic disease. This was followed by those Pregnant/lactating women 4% The survey was anonymous and voluntary. Surveys receive humanitarian assistance); very small numbers
travelling with a person with visual impairment were administered only if consent from the of TCN respondents in collective sites; and challenges
Difficulty walking 3%
(9%), pregnant/lactating women (4%), difficulty walking respondent was given. The respondent could stop in accessing certain types of collective sites..
(3%) and difficulty concentrating/remembering (2%).
Difficulty concentrating 2% the survey at any time.
The last four per cent were equally distributed between Difficulty self caring 1%
The questionnaire was available in Ukrainian, Russian
those with difficulty with self caring, communicating, Wounded/injured 1%
and English language. The preferred language was
hearing as well as wounded or injured individuals.
Difficulty communicating 1% determined by the interviewee. Only fully
Difficulty hearing 1% completed surveys were taken into account for this
report.
16 17
DTM
Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) is a system to track and monitor displacement and population mobility.
The survey form was designed to capture the main displacement patterns – origin country and region – for
refugees of any nationality fleeing from Ukraine because of the war. It captures the demographic profiles of
respondents and of the group they are travelling with, if any; it asks about intentions relative to the intended
final destination and prospects of permanence in the country of the survey/first reception; it gathers
information regarding a set of main needs that the respondents expressed as more pressing at the moment of
the interview.
Since the onset of the war in Ukraine, several IOM’s DTM tools were deployed in countries neighbouring
Ukraine and in other countries particularly impacted by the new arrivals of migrants and refugees from
Ukraine.