Poland is witnessing a steady rise in the number of foreign pensioners receiving benefits from the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS). According to Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, in December 2024, over 20,000 foreigners received pensions and disability benefits from ZUS, amounting to approximately 27.6 million PLN per month. This marks a significant increase from 15,300 recipients in 2023 and 12,200 in 2022. The majority of these pensioners come from Ukraine, Belarus, and Georgia, reflecting a growing trend of Eastern European workers securing retirement benefits in Poland. “If a Ukrainian senior resides in Poland, ZUS is often obliged to pay the difference between the pension received from Ukraine and the Polish minimum pension,” explained Dr. Marcin Krajewski from the University of Łódź. Given that Ukrainian pensions range from 260 to 320 PLN, the additional support from Poland can exceed 1,500 PLN monthly.
Loopholes in Poland’s Pension System?
Experts highlight that Poland’s pension regulations contribute to this growing trend. With around 1.2 million foreigners currently paying into the system, many will eventually claim pension benefits. According to legal expert Andrzej Radzisław, one key issue is Poland’s relatively lenient pension rules, which require only a single contribution to qualify for future benefits. “For a single contribution paid today, there will be a pension tomorrow,” he noted, emphasizing that the system lacks a minimum contribution period, which should be set at at least ten years. This growing foreign pensioner base could have long-term implications for Poland’s social security system, potentially leading to financial strain in the future.