In spite of the fact that a large number of Ukrainians moved to Poland over the past decade, only a small number of them, or about 40,000, obtained citizenship.
A report from the Nasz Wybir reveals that the number of Ukrainians obtaining citizenship in Poland remains low, in spite that a large number of them are present in the Polish labour market, Schengen.News reports.
The same notes that fewer than 40,000 Ukrainians obtained citizenship in Poland between 2015 and 2024. These statistics show that internationals interested in obtaining citizenship in Poland are subject to structural difficulties.
For a period between 2015 and 2023, a total of 31,900 Ukrainians obtained citizenship in Poland.
The statistics from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Poland revealed that in 2024, there were 16,300 positive decisions on citizenship. In spite of the fact that the breakdown by nationality has not yet been published, some experts estimate that nearly half of the applicants are Ukrainians.
Therefore, the total number of Ukrainians who obtained citizenship in Poland in the past ten years is about 39,000 people.
Poland Lags Behind Other Member States in Citizenship Grants
In comparison to other EU countries, the number of citizenships granted by Poland is significantly lower. Other EU countries, such as Spain or Germany, granted citizenship to a total of 144,000 and 130,000 migrants, respectively, in 2021, while Poland granted citizenship to just 10,000 migrants in the same year.
The statistics indicate a low level of naturalisation. It means that just 1.7 per cent of internationals with long-term residence permits acquired citizenship in Poland in 2021, which is below the European Union’s average of 2.2 per cent.
Requirements Remain a Problem for Migrants
The requirements for obtaining citizenship in Poland, in spite of the fact that they are not considered complicated, bring difficulties for migrants.
Among the requirements are:
- Continues residence in Poland for at least three years
- Knowledge of the Polish language at least at the B1 level
- Stable incoming
- Passing a language exam that is held only four times a year
Stricter Citizenship Rules
Earlier this month, the main opposition party in Poland, PiS, proposed to tighten citizenship rules for foreigners residing in Poland.
At present, in a bid to be eligible to apply for citizenship in Poland, a foreigner needs to reside in this country for at least three years.
However, the PiS considers that the residency period requirement is low and does not help to manage immigration, thus proposing to increase the residency requirement for citizenship to ten years.