Ukraine refugees encouraged to find jobs as war exodus slows

A spokesperson for Poland’s Border Guard, Anna Michalska, said the numbers could pick up again, if Russian attacks in Ukraine continue.

Recent legislation passed in Poland allows refugees from Ukraine to obtain ID numbers that entitle them to free medical care, education, social benefits and the right to work for 18 months.

Refugees in Warsaw have submitted about 700 applications and some 100 have been hired for jobs in the Polish capital’s medical centers and schools, according to city officials.

To boost the employment drive, Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski and Deputy Mayor Renata Kaznowska met Thursday with the director of the Bielanski Hospital and some Ukrainian and Polish staff members.

Kaznowska said employment and professional activity were the best way to integrate the adults who have fled Ukraine into Polish society.

Educators are also needed to help refugee children adjust to their new school environment, where lessons are taught in Polish and where the curriculum is largely different from the one in Ukraine.

Two nurses who are in the hiring process, speaking in Ukrainian mixed with Polish, said they appreciated the chance to continue their careers.

Hospital director Dorota Galczynska-Zych said the new job recruits have provided valuable skills and that language has not been a barrier.