Assessment of the needs and expectations of economic migrants regarding urban integration

How can we build an open city in times of dynamic migration changes, social crises, and growing diversity? The publication prepared by the Czulent Jewish Association answers this question by combining data analysis, the voices of migrants themselves, and recommendations for public policy.

It is a tool for local governments, public institutions, social organizations, and all those working at the intersection of integration, migration, and urban policy. It shows what the real experience of economic migrants in Kraków looks like and what actions can support their fuller participation in city life.

Why was this publication created?

Kraków—like many contemporary European cities—is undergoing intense demographic and social changes. Economic migration is becoming one of the key drivers of the city’s development, while at the same time revealing new challenges related to integration, access to services, and combating discrimination.

The publication was created in response to the need for an up-to-date, in-depth diagnosis—particularly in the context of recent years shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic and the full-scale war in Ukraine.

It is precisely these events that have transformed how cities, institutions, and communities function—as well as the experiences of migrants themselves.

What does the publication include?

The report combines secondary data analysis with qualitative research, creating a multidimensional picture of the integration of economic migrants. It includes:

• an analysis of the social, economic, and cultural situation of migrants,
• a review of existing research and integration policies,
• the results of in-depth interviews with leaders of migrant communities,
• a diagnosis of needs and barriers across different areas of urban life,
• recommendations for city authorities and public institutions.

A particular strength of the report is that it gives voice to people with migration experience—activists, entrepreneurs, institutional staff, and community leaders—who co-create the urban reality.

Key areas of integration

The publication analyzes the integration of migrants through the lens of specific areas of how the city functions:

• culture and participation in social life,
• safety and a sense of belonging,
• access to public services (administration, health, education),
• a right to the city and civic participation,
• countering discrimination,
• housing.

This approach makes it possible to see integration not as an abstract concept, but as a set of concrete experiences and barriers that shape everyday life for residents.

A city in a time of change

One of the report’s key conclusions is that integration is not a static process.

The pandemic accelerated the digitalization of services and changed how institutions operate, while the war in Ukraine significantly increased the number of new residents and influenced social attitudes and intergroup tensions.

The publication highlights both positive changes—such as greater mobilization of civil society and the development of integration services—as well as new challenges, including inequalities in access to support and rising social tensions.

From diagnosis to recommendations

The report does not stop at describing problems. It outlines concrete directions for action, including:

• the development of accessible and multilingual public services,
• strengthening anti-discrimination and educational efforts,
• better use of migrants’ potential in the city’s development,
• creating spaces for meaningful resident participation,
• the development of cross-sector cooperation—between local government, NGOs, and communities.

These are practical guidelines for cities that want to consciously manage diversity and build social cohesion.

Who is this publication for?

The report is addressed to:

• local governments and public administration,
• NGO’s and integration institutions,
• researchers and public policies analitics,
• leaders of local and migrant communities,
• all those interested in the future of multicultural cities.

It can serve both as a diagnostic tool and as a starting point for designing concrete actions.

The diagnosis was prepared as part of the commissioned public task: ‘Participatory development of recommendations for updating the integration policy for foreigners and representatives of national and ethnic minorities in Kraków – Participatory development of the update of the “Open Kraków” Programme,’ which was carried out by the Czulent Jewish Association, Internationaler Bund Polska, and the Poland–Ukraine Institute Foundation, with the support of the Observatory of Multiculturalism and Migration.