Ukrainian workers, the backbone of Poland's seafood processing sector, returning home to fight

Ukrainian migrant workers have made a major contribution to the Polish economy over the last decade, and although Poland was always a popular country for Ukrainians, the aftermath of Russia's incursion into Ukraine in 2014 led to a spike in migration.

However, with the onset of Russia's invasion last week, many of these expatriate Ukrainians now want to return home to defend their country, and many of them work in the seafood processing sector.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), some 30,000 Ukrainians work in the Polish processing industry, and the country is home to some of the world's largest manufacturing operations, including Mowi salmon processing subsidiary Morpol.

Thomas Farstad, CEO of Summa Equity-owned Milarex, one of the largest seafood companies with Poland processing facilities, said it has been remarkable to see how Ukrainian co-workers have handled the conflict.

“Some of our colleagues have returned to Ukraine to defend their country and to fight for freedom. This we understand and support."

Farstad does not see a potential labor shortage in Poland, noting the mass migration of refugees into Poland will, if anything, lead to a surplus of people looking for jobs.

"We are shocked by the situation," Farstad said. "Our short-term priority is to take care of colleagues and to support their families. We are working to find housing for families that are coming across the borders from Ukraine."

As a bordering nation that is welcoming Ukrainian refugees, Poland's economy and logistics will be disrupted, and there could be impacts on the supply chain, meaning potential delays in product deliveries, Farstad said.

In 2018, 20 percent of all EU residence permits issued that year were issued in Poland to Ukrainians.