They have youth, skills and the desire to work: so why can’t Poland harness the potential of its refugee population? – Equal Times

Report on the Socio-Economic Integration of Refugees in Poland and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

This report analyzes the socio-economic conditions of refugees from the Middle East and Africa in Poland, evaluating the systemic challenges they face in the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The findings indicate significant deficits in achieving key SDG targets, particularly concerning decent work, poverty reduction, and social inclusion.

I. Systemic Barriers to Integration and Sustainable Livelihoods

Challenges to SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)

Refugees in Poland encounter substantial structural obstacles that impede their ability to escape poverty and secure stable living conditions. These challenges directly conflict with the objectives of SDG 1 and SDG 11.

• Inadequate State Support: Minimal state assistance and limited integration programs leave refugees in a precarious financial state, hindering progress towards SDG 1 (No Poverty).
• Geographical Isolation: Accommodation centers provided by the Office for Foreigners are often situated in remote, wooded areas with scarce job opportunities and limited public transport. This policy undermines SDG 11 by preventing access to inclusive and sustainable urban environments.
• Housing Instability: The high cost of rent in major cities forces many refugees into a dependent relationship with employers who provide accommodation. This arrangement increases vulnerability, as job loss results in immediate homelessness, a critical failure in providing access to adequate and safe housing (Target 11.1).

II. Labour Market Conditions and Contradictions with SDG 8 (Decent Work)

Prevalence of Precarious Employment

The employment landscape for many refugees is characterized by exploitative practices that are fundamentally at odds with SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). The majority are relegated to the informal or gig economy, lacking fundamental labor protections.

• Low-Skilled, Low-Paid Labour: Most refugees find work in physically demanding sectors such as food delivery, warehouses, and meat-processing plants, which do not align with their skills or qualifications.
• Informal and Exploitative Contracts: Employment is often based on informal verbal agreements or intermediary “rental” contracts, with wages paid in cash. This practice circumvents legal obligations for minimum wage, recorded work hours, and social security contributions.
• Lack of Employment Security: Workers face the constant risk of arbitrary dismissal without notice or recourse, directly contravening Target 8.8, which calls for the protection of labour rights and secure working environments for all workers, including migrants.

Case Studies Illustrating Labour Rights Deficits

1. Mohammad (Somalia): Employed in a warehouse, he worked ten-hour days for less than the minimum wage. His employment was terminated without notice, resulting in the simultaneous loss of his job and accommodation.
2. Ezra (Uganda): Worked 10-14 hours daily in a meat-processing plant for sub-minimum wage. He faced deportation after his employer allegedly failed to pay social security contributions, demonstrating the severe consequences of employer non-compliance.
3. Danya (Iran): Worked as a food delivery driver on a standard bicycle and was dismissed for not meeting speed requirements, highlighting the precarious nature of gig economy work that lacks contractual protection.

III. Obstacles to Human Capital Development and Social Inclusion

Impact on SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

The cycle of precarious work and systemic exclusion prevents refugees from developing their potential, thereby failing to meet the goals of SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

• Educational Barriers: Limited access to language classes creates a primary obstacle to integration and securing skilled employment. The demands of low-wage, long-hour jobs leave no time for education or vocational training.
• Underutilization of Skills: Many refugees, such as Abdelsalem, a former dentistry student working as a mechanic, are unable to utilize their professional skills. This represents a significant loss of human capital and reinforces economic inequality.
• Systemic Inequality: The integration system appears to create a distinct class of vulnerable workers, deepening inequalities (SDG 10) and preventing refugees from participating fully in the economic and social life of the country.

IV. Conclusion and Implications for the Sustainable Development Agenda

The experiences of refugees in Poland reveal a significant gap between national realities and the global commitments outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals. The current framework fosters a cycle of poverty and exploitation rather than promoting sustainable and inclusive growth.

• The widespread lack of Decent Work (SDG 8) is the central issue, directly causing an increase in Poverty (SDG 1) and exacerbating Inequalities (SDG 10).
• Failures in providing adequate housing and community integration undermine the vision of Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11).
• Barriers to Quality Education (SDG 4) and skills recognition prevent the realization of human potential and hinder long-term economic contributions.
• Achieving the SDGs requires strengthening institutional frameworks and enforcement mechanisms (SDG 16) to protect the labour rights of all migrant workers and ensure their full and dignified integration into society.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article highlights several interconnected challenges faced by refugees in Poland, directly relating to a number of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary issues of precarious employment, inadequate housing, and systemic barriers to integration touch upon the core principles of the following SDGs:

1. SDG 1: No Poverty

   The article describes refugees living in “precarious conditions” with “minimal state support,” forcing them into “poorly paid jobs.” This struggle to achieve a basic standard of living and financial security is a central theme of SDG 1, which aims to end poverty in all its forms.

2. SDG 4: Quality Education

   The lack of opportunities for refugees to utilize their existing skills and pursue further education is evident. The article mentions “limited language classes” as a barrier and highlights the story of Abdelsalem, who plans to “learn Polish and return to his dentistry studies,” indicating a gap in access to continuing and higher education for refugees.

3. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   This is the most prominent SDG in the article. It details the lack of decent work for refugees, who are often forced into exploitative labor conditions. The text explicitly mentions “poorly paid jobs,” “long hours,” “constant risk of being dismissed,” work for “less than the minimum wage,” and a lack of “employment protection.” These issues are in direct opposition to the goal of promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.

4. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   The article focuses on the specific vulnerabilities and disadvantages faced by refugees and migrants, a distinct group within the country. The systemic issues, such as a system that “seems designed to discourage refugees,” and their relegation to the most precarious jobs, highlight the deep inequalities they face in accessing rights and opportunities compared to the rest of the population.

5. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   The challenges related to housing and access to services are a key issue. The article notes that migrant centers are often “situated in wooded areas, far from towns and cities, where job opportunities are scarce and public transport is limited.” Furthermore, it points out that in cities like Warsaw, “rents are far beyond their means,” and job loss can lead to immediate homelessness, directly addressing the goal of ensuring access to adequate, safe, and affordable housing.

6. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   The article touches upon the institutional frameworks governing asylum and migration. It mentions refugees spending months in “a detention centre” and facing a system that pushes them to leave. The case of Ezra, who faced deportation because his employer allegedly failed to pay social security contributions, points to a lack of institutional protection and access to justice for migrant workers.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues discussed, the following specific SDG targets are relevant:

• SDG 1: No Poverty

  • Target 1.3: Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable. The article’s mention of “minimal state support” for refugees indicates a gap in the coverage of social protection for this vulnerable group.

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  • Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship. The reference to “limited language classes” and the fact that refugees “rarely manage to find work that matches their experience” points to a failure in providing them with the relevant skills (like language proficiency) needed for decent jobs in their new context.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  • Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value. The article provides direct counter-examples, describing jobs that are “poorly paid,” often for “less than the minimum wage,” and not reflective of the workers’ skills or “aspirations.”
  • Target 8.8: Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, and in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment. The article is replete with examples of violations of this target, including the “constant risk of being dismissed from one day to the next,” “no employment protection,” informal contracts, and employers failing to pay “social security contributions.”

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  • Target 10.2: By 2020, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status. The article describes a system that appears to do the opposite, as it “seems designed to discourage refugees and push them to leave the country,” hindering their social and economic inclusion.
  • Target 10.7: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies. The precarious and exploitative situations refugees find themselves in suggest that the existing policies are not “well-managed” to ensure their safety and integration.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  • Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums. The article directly addresses this by describing migrant centers located far from services and jobs, and the unaffordability of city rents, which are “far beyond their means.” The story of Mohammad losing his home overnight exemplifies the lack of safe and adequate housing.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article, while largely qualitative, provides several explicit and implied indicators that could be used to measure progress:

• Indicators for SDG 8 (Decent Work)

  • Wages relative to the minimum wage: The article explicitly states that Mohammad worked for “less than the minimum wage” and Ezra was paid “below the minimum wage for an eight-hour day.” The proportion of refugees earning less than the legal minimum could be a direct indicator.
  • Prevalence of informal employment: The description of contracts that are “partly written and partly verbal, paid in cash, and with no record of hours worked” is an indicator of informal employment. The “rental” agreement for delivery drivers instead of an employment contract is another.
  • Working hours: The article quantifies working hours, with Abdelsalem working “ten hours a day, seven days a week,” Mohammad working “ten hours a day,” and Ezra working “between ten and fourteen hours a day.” Average weekly working hours for refugees would be a key indicator.
  • Job security and employment protection: The “constant risk of being dismissed” and stories of workers being told to leave “the following day” imply a lack of formal contracts and legal protection, which could be measured through surveys on employment conditions.
  • Social security coverage: Ezra’s suspicion that his “employer wasn’t paying my social security contributions” points to the rate of social security registration and payment for migrant workers as a critical indicator.

• Indicators for SDG 11 (Housing)

  • Access to services and transport: The location of migrant centers “far from towns and cities” with “limited” public transport is a qualitative indicator of inadequate housing location. This could be quantified by measuring the distance and travel time from refugee housing to essential services and job centers.
  • Housing affordability: The statement that city rents are “far beyond their means” implies a high housing cost-to-income ratio for refugees, which is a standard indicator of housing affordability.

• Indicators for SDG 4 (Education)

  • Access to language and vocational training: The mention of “limited language classes” is a direct, albeit qualitative, indicator of the availability of essential training for integration and employment.
  • Skills mismatch: The gap between refugees’ previous professions (e.g., dentistry student) and aspirations (e.g., hairdresser) and their current low-skilled jobs (e.g., mechanic, delivery driver) is an indicator of underemployment and skills mismatch in the labor market.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: equaltimes.org