Poland is preparing to change employment rules for Ukrainians after the end of temporary protection, which expires in March 2026. New initiatives may complicate access to work for some migrants and create additional administrative burden for employers.
This was reported in an interview with RBC-Ukraine by Galina Kirichenko, vice president of the international employment company Gremi Personal.
According to her, the Polish parliament is considering a bill that actually preserves preferential conditions for Ukrainians with PESEL UKR status. Such citizens will continue to be able to work legally without the need to obtain a separate work permit.
At the same time, the rules may become stricter for Ukrainians who are in Poland on other grounds. These include people with temporary or long-term residence cards, separate work permits, as well as those with student or business status. Additional bureaucratic procedures may be introduced for them, which will complicate the employment process.
Kirichenko notes that such changes can have a negative impact not only on the migrants themselves, but also on the Polish economy. Strengthening administrative requirements creates additional difficulties for companies that hire foreigners and may slow down the closing of vacancies in areas where there is already a shortage of personnel.
Representatives of Polish business associations, she said, are already criticizing the proposed initiatives because they could lead to labor shortages in certain sectors.
The expert reminded that after the temporary protection introduced on the basis of the European Union directive expires, EU member states must provide Ukrainians with the opportunity to switch to other legal grounds for residence. These include employment, study, humanitarian reasons, or family reunification.
At the same time, the final format of the transition in Poland will depend on the political decisions of the government, the domestic situation and further migration policy. At this stage, according to Kirichenko, it is difficult to predict specific mechanisms that will work after 2026.
She also emphasized that each case of legalization is individual. Ukrainians should consider their own status — whether they work under an employment contract, run a business, or study — and apply for a residence card accordingly. For pensioners, it is advisable to remain with the PESEL UKR status for now.
It was previously reported that the Polish government has developed a bill that provides for the gradual repeal of key provisions of the special law on support for Ukrainian citizens.
