ENThe paper shows the historical background of the formation of the Polish national minority in the metropolitan region of Vilnius and the changes that are taking place today in this community. Political, social and demographic changes related to the independence of Lithuania and the freedom of migration have caused in the last two decades very significant changes in the ethnic landscape of the metropolitan area of Vilnius, which will have a significant impact on the state of the Polish national minority in Lithuania in the future. These changes consist mainly of the loss of the status of the largest community in some municipalities of Vilnius region and the threat of this process in subsequent municipalities. The main factors leading to this state are the disproportions in wealth between Poles and Lithuanians, a strong stream of migration from Vilnius to the suburbs, and from rural areas abroad.