The number of Ukrainians under temporary protection in Poland increased by 5,600 in June 2025 to 992,500, which is the largest monthly increase among all EU countries (+0.6% per month), according to the analytical center of the international employment company Gremi Personal.
“Over the year, the number of Ukrainians per thousand Poles has increased from 26 to 27. These data indicate that Poland remains attractive to Ukrainians as a place of temporary or even long-term residence. In addition, the European Council’s decision to extend temporary protection until March 4, 2027, gives Ukrainians in Poland more confidence in the future, as well as the opportunity to plan their education, work, or integration into local communities,” said Yuriy Grygorenko, director of the Gremi Personal analytical center.
It is noted that the growth rate of the Ukrainian community has slowed down, but Poland remains in second place in the EU in terms of the number of Ukrainians with this status after Germany (about 1.2 million people) and remains home to 23% of all Ukrainians who have received temporary protection in Europe. In total, according to Eurostat, as of June 30, more than 4.3 million Ukrainian citizens were under temporary protection in the EU.
The center’s analysts also note a decrease in the share of women in the structure of Ukrainian refugees in EU countries from 45.6% to 44.7%, while the share of men, on the contrary, increased from 22.0% to 24.1%.
“The increase in the proportion of men in EU countries may be related to the fact that after the first years of the war, Ukrainian men who were eligible to leave (large families, people with disabilities, elderly men) are more likely to join their families in the EU. In addition, while the first waves of departure were mainly forced and protective in nature (women with children fleeing danger), now more Ukrainians are leaving for economic reasons—to find work or stable living conditions,” Hryhorenko noted.
He also drew attention to the fact that children still account for a high proportion of temporary refugees (over 31%), which in the long term could create risks of some families not returning to Ukraine after the war. “The prolonged presence of a significant number of women and children abroad creates risks of depopulation and the loss of a generation. A gradual increase in the proportion of men may indicate that families are settling in the EU and that their chances of returning to Ukraine after the war are potentially decreasing,” Hryhorenko concluded.
Source: https://interfax.com.ua/
Polish Defense Minister Vladislav Kosiniak-Kamysz said that the country intends to create an army of more than 500,000 troops.
This significantly exceeds the plans previously announced by President Karol Navrocki to bring the army to 300,000.
“We will create an army larger than the one President Nawrocki spoke about — not 300,000, but more than 500,000 people,” the minister said in an interview with Rzeczpospolita.
According to him, the president has already approved plans to expand the army.
Currently, there are more than 210,000 soldiers in the Polish army, and by the end of 2025, this figure is expected to reach 230,000.
Earlier, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that the Polish army is already the largest in the EU and in a few years will become “the strongest in the region.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a law recognizing Ukrainian citizens who were forcibly resettled from the territory of the Polish People’s Republic in 1944-1951 as deportees. The relevant law card No. 4540-IX with the signature of the President of Ukraine has been published on the website of the Verkhovna Rada.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga noted that this law restores historical justice regarding this “horrible crime.”
“President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has just signed an important law restoring the memory of Ukrainians forcibly deported from Poland in 1944-1951. This is a correct and dignified step that restores historical justice regarding this horrific crime. I thank the president for supporting this decision, as well as the members of parliament who developed and implemented it,” he wrote on his Facebook page.
The minister noted that “many witnesses of those tragic events have already passed away,” but in order to protect the rights of “those who still live with us and their descendants,” Ukraine guarantees the provision of assistance as provided by law.
An overview of the property tax system in Poland for foreign citizens and expats
Interest in Polish real estate among foreigners, including Ukrainian expats, continues to grow. At the same time, it is important to consider the tax burden associated with both the purchase and ownership and sale of a home. In this article, we will look at the key taxes related to real estate in Poland, as well as the current rates and features for individuals.
– Tax on the purchase of real estate: tax on civil law transactions (PCC)
When purchasing secondary real estate (from a private individual), the buyer is required to pay PCC at a rate of 2% of the property value.
Example: an apartment for €100,000 — the tax will be €2,000.
If the property is purchased on the primary market (from a developer), PCC is not payable, but VAT is charged (usually 8% or 23% depending on the type of housing and area).
Up to 150 m² for an apartment or 300 m² for a house — 8% VAT
Above these limits — 23% VAT on the excess
The purchase is accompanied by notary fees: drawing up the agreement, entry in the land register, registration fees. The average amount of additional costs is about 2–4% of the purchase price.
– Property tax (Podatek od nieruchomości)
This is an annual local tax paid by every property owner. It is determined at the commune (municipality) level and depends on the size of the property.
Maximum rates in 2025 (set annually by the Polish Ministry of Finance):
Apartments and houses: up to PLN 1.15 per m² (≈ €0.27)
Land plots for residential purposes: up to PLN 0.70 per m² (≈ €0.16)
Example: a 60 m² apartment in Warsaw → tax ~ €16 per year.
Important: the rate is lower in small towns and closer to the maximum in the capital.
– Tax on rental income
If the property is rented out, the income is taxable. Individuals can choose one of the following schemes:
Market rate (general PIT scale): 12% up to PLN 120,000 of income per year and 32% on the excess (2025)
Flat rate (ryczałt): 8.5% on income up to PLN 100,000 and 12% on the excess
The ryczałt regime is popular among small landlords, especially for short-term rentals.
– Capital gains tax (on sale)
When selling real estate earlier than 5 years after its acquisition, there is an obligation to pay 19% capital gains tax on the profit.
Exceptions:
The tax is not payable if the seller has owned the property for 5 years or more.
Exemption is also available if the entire amount is used to purchase a new home or for construction within 3 years.
– Other costs and fees
Property maintenance: utility bills, repair and management fees (especially in residential complexes)
Garbage collection fee: set by the municipality, depends on the number of residents
Management company fees: from PLN 2 to PLN 4/m² per month (€0.5–1/m²)
The Polish real estate taxation system is moderate and relatively transparent. Particular attention should be paid to the PCC tax when purchasing and the obligation to pay capital gains tax when selling. For foreign investors and relocators, it is important to take into account the total tax burden in advance when planning a purchase or lease.
relocation.com.ua recommends consulting a Polish tax advisor or lawyer before entering into a transaction to avoid unexpected costs and optimize the tax consequences.
Ukraine exported 24.406 thousand tons of honey in January-June 2025, which is 1.9 times less than in the same period of 2024, when 48.113 thousand tons of this product was supplied to foreign markets. According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS), revenue from honey sales for the period amounted to $53.261 million, which is 41.7% less than for the same period last year, when revenue amounted to $91.417 million.
The top three importers of Ukrainian honey in January-June 2025 were Germany, which accounted for 22.86% of purchases worth $12.177 million, Spain – 10.83% and $5.769 million respectively, Poland – 9.77% and $5.2 million respectively.
A year earlier, during the same period, the most active importers of sugar from Ukraine were Germany (25.76% at $23.546 million) and Poland (10.16% at $9.288 million), as well as the United States (15.27% at $13.955 million).
Almost half of all Polish companies founded by Ukrainians were established during the Great War
About 30 thousand companies founded by Ukrainians were registered in Poland as of the beginning of July 2025, according to the Polish register of legal entities Krajowy Rejestr Sądowy (KRS). Almost half of them were opened after the start of the full-scale program. Most Ukrainian businesses are concentrated in three voivodeships: Mazowieckie (Warsaw in particular), Małopolskie (Krakow and the region), and Dolnośląskie (Wrocław and the surrounding area).
29,044 companies with Ukrainian citizens as ultimate beneficiaries are currently registered in Poland. Almost half of them have been opened by Ukrainians since the beginning of the full-scale war – 13,014 businesses. A total of 208,251 companies have been opened in Poland over the past 3.5 years. Ukrainians accounted for 6% of new businesses during this time.
Most companies were registered by Ukrainians in 2022 – 4,780 businesses. This is a third more than in 2021.
Most often, Ukrainians register an analog of the Ukrainian LLC – spółka z ograniczoną odpowiedzialnością – 27,656 or 95% of all Ukrainian businesses in Poland.
The number of charitable organizations founded by Ukrainians in Poland has also increased significantly: since 2022, Ukrainians have established 486 foundations. This is 4 times more than before the start of the full-scale program.
Most Ukrainian companies are concentrated in three voivodeships: Mazowieckie (including Warsaw) – 11,568 companies, Małopolskie (Kraków and the region) – 3,200 businesses, and Dolnośląskie (Wrocław and the surrounding area) – 3,019.
Most of the Ukrainian companies registered by Ukrainians after the start of full-scale business in Poland are small businesses. Almost 10 thousand companies have an authorized capital of less than 10 thousand zlotys. Only 133 businesses have a capital of more than 500 thousand zlotys.
In total, the capital of all Ukrainian companies in the Polish register is over 7.34 billion zlotys. Of this amount, 533 million zlotys are accounted for by businesses opened after the start of full-scale trade. It is worth noting that although 45% of companies were established after the outbreak of the war, their total capital is 12 times less than that of the “pre-war” Ukrainian business in Poland.
As a reminder, in 2024, Ukrainians paid almost 1.65 billion zlotys ($414 million) to the Polish state budget in personal income and corporate income taxes, according to the analytical center of the international employment company Gremi Personal, citing the Polish Ministry of Finance.
https://opendatabot.ua/analytics/ukrainian-business-in-Poland
