The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching social and economic consequences. They are visible particularly in the functioning of local labour markets, affecting less privileged groups such as migrant workers, in a specific way. Here, our analysis aims to identify the strategies of adaptation of Ukrainian economic migrants to the changing situation in the local labour market in the Poznań agglomeration during the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis relies on the results from quantitative research on changes in the demand for labour and adjustment of competence of immigrants to the Poznań agglomeration labour market throughout the pandemic and in the perspective of the nearest future, as well as on qualitative research conducted using the IDI (in-depth interviews) technique, carried out via the purposive sampling of 30 economically active Ukrainian migrant workers. The identified adaptation strategies are organised according to the assumptions of Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of capital(s). The capital of the researched group with respect to the labour market is treated as both the potential and resources the immigrants offer, produce, apply, and mutually convert in the implementation of their own adaptation strategies to the changing situation of the labour market. We extracted eight types of migrant adaptation strategies with respect to the labour market. These strategies differ in terms of objectives, resources, time perspectives, and other factors considered to be important from migrants’ perspectives. On the basis of interviews, we were able to assess the robustness of these strategies in view of economic shocks and identify the process of capital conversion and exchange.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many immigrants found themselves in extremely unstable situations. The recent contributions show that employment decline in the first several months of the lockdown was higher for migrant workers than for natives. At the same time, migrants were less likely to find new employment in the recovery months. Such circumstances may result in an increased level of anxiety about one’s economic situation. On the other hand, an unfavorable environment may induce resources that could help to overcome it. The paper aims to reveal migrants’ concerns together with ambitions connected with the economic activity during the pandemic. The study is based on 30 individual in-depth interviews with Ukrainian migrant workers from Poland. The research approach was based on Natural Language Processing techniques. We employed sentiment analysis algorithms, and on a basis of selected lexicons, we extracted fears and hopes that appear in migrants’ narrations. We also identified major topics and associated them with specific sentiments. Pandemic induced several matters connected with e.g., the stability of employment, discrimination, relationships, family, and financial situation. These affairs are usually connected on the basis of a cause-and-effect relationship. In addition, while several topics were common for both male and female participants, some of them were specific for each group.

This paper uses data from the fifth edition of the European Working Conditions Survey to examine the relationship between workers’ skills mismatch and risk of investment in work-related training. Apart from financial (earnings) worker’s risk, the study addresses also some non-financial facets of the investment risk. The results indicate that while mismatched workers have higher earnings risk than wellmatched ones, they also perceive their jobs as more insecure. Surprisingly, mismatched workers are also relatively more optimistic of having good career prospects and finding similarly paid employment. These findings did not allow a conclusion about the difference in non-financial risk between mismatched and well-matched workers.

Objective: To assess the extent to which migrant workers employed by Polish companies adjust their skills to fit their employers’ needs. The study examines employers’ opinions about the competences of foreign workers employed in the Poznań area.Research Design & Methods: The data were collected with a survey and subjected to statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics and mathematical statistical methods were applied and presented. This is followed by a discussion of the results of previous empirical research in which foreign nationals self-assessed the match between their skills and the jobs they perform.Findings: Although a significant percentage of foreigners working in Poland are equipped with a high level of human capital, it is barely utilised by Polish enterprises.Implications / Recommendations: The employers do not recognise much of a skills mismatch. And even if they are aware of one, they are primarily shoring up their shorthanded workforce, not looking at the potential that could be utilized. The problem of skills mismatch among foreigner workers is exacerbated by Poland’s relative failure to exercise an integration policy.Contribution: The article argues for the need to undertake further in-depth research on the skills mismatch of foreign workers in Poland.

Finding oneself in a new reality: Coping strategies as a way of adaptation for migrants under the COVID-19 pandemic conditions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, international migration posed significant challenges, deeply affecting labour markets globally, including in Poland. Migrants faced difficulties such as job loss, unstable employment, and worsened living conditions. In Poland, where the number of employed non-nationals had risen prior to the pandemic, it is crucial to understand the coping strategies employed by migrants in such uncertain times. This study investigates the psychological coping strategies used by Ukrainian migrants in Poland, based on an empirical analysis of 309 participants. The findings contribute to the development of knowledge on migrant resilience and adaptation mechanisms during crises, offering insights for future research on migration psychology. Additionally, the results aim to inform effective interventions and provide recommendations for organisations supporting migrants.