With European countries hungry for workers, more Ukrainians are choosing Germany over Poland

By VANESSA GERA
Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A report says Poland is losing large numbers of Ukrainian refugees from its workforce as they travel to Germany to seek higher wages and government benefits in the rich Western economy. Although the refugees are not economic migrants, they are increasingly taking on work as the war in Ukraine drags on for more than a year and a half. Where they choose to live impacts labor markets in European nations, which are desperate for workers and are facing demographic declines due to low birthrates. The study sought to understand why the number of Ukrainian refugees has been decreasing in Poland, a first stop for many after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and why the number has been growing in Germany.