Living and working conditions of migrants in the delivery sector in Poland

The report presents the results of the qualitative analysis of the lived experiences of migrant workers in the delivery sector in Poland. Our study included desk research, ethnographic observation, as well as in-depth interviews with 9 stakeholders and 24 migrant delivery couriers, conducted in collaboration with community researchers between August 2024 and May 2025.

Uncovered irregularities related to the delivery sector, mainly concerning residence status and work arrangements. They were shaped by two interlinked factors: the unregulated nature of the platform sector, with the central role of fleet partners (firms that intermediate between delivery platforms and couriers) and Poland’s increasingly restrictive migration regime. Companies and intermediaries exploit existing loopholes to increase their profits at the cost of workers’ rights, while the government tightens migration control. These intertwined aspects produce systemic precarity, making it nearly impossible for migrant couriers to secure stable legal status.

The experiences of irregularity varied depending on factors such as gender, race, ethnicity, age, migration status, and socioeconomic background. Our participants were mainly students or recent graduates, whose status provided them with access to legal work, allowing them to combine delivery with other jobs. Other interviewees were seeking international protection in Poland, and work in delivery constituted their primary source of income. For some, platform work offered flexibility and an accessible source of economic resources, while for others, it aggravated legal and financial vulnerability.

A key issue represented the instability of legal status and challenges in securing residence permits, aggravated by the malpractice of intermediaries and the specific nature of delivery work, usually not providing a sufficient ground for residence permit due to the character of employment in the sector (mainly based on mandate and rental contracts or informal), with limited or no access to social protection. Couriers lack information about their rights, the types of contracts, and insurance options. They faced different health and safety risks. With little platform or intermediary support in the case of accidents or illnesses, our study participants relied on student insurance (if applicable), coverage secured through other types of employment (if relevant), or private insurance, which proved ineffective in practice.

Examples of racial, ethnic and linguistic discrimination were reported by clients, passers-by and public authorities (mainly city guards). Access to institutional support was minimal; the participants predominantly relied on informal networks or commercial organisations. The interviewees mistrusted and avoided contacting public institutions in cases of rights violations.

Our study sheds light on the understudied topic of the structural production of precarity, exploitation, and risks in platform food delivery in Poland. It contributes to the intense current debate regarding platform regulation, migrant work and migration policy, offering a critical perspective on the interrelations between legal status, exploitation and institutional neglect in the delivery sector.