The number of foreign workers in Poland is increasing, but demographers say the country needs even more immigrants. Almost 244,000 citizens of countries east of Poland, mostly Ukraine, came to work in Poland in 2012.

The number has been rising since 2006, when the legal obligation to get a work permit was lifted for Ukrainians, Belarusians, Russians, Georgians and Moldovans.

Poland may need more than the numbers that have been coming in, however. According to a report by the Energy for Europe foundation, the country will need an additional 5.2 million people by 2050 in order to maintain its population level. Poland's population is currently about 38 million.

Krystyna Iglicka, a demographer from the Lazarski University, told Rzeczpospolita that Poland should do more to keep those that come here to work.

Poland A.M.