Poland introduces a new status for Ukrainians: what will change in January.

According to ТСН: The law regulating the conditions of stay for Ukrainians in Poland has already been passed by the Sejm and is awaiting the signature of President Karol Nawrocki. The innovations allow changing the status from temporary protection to a three-year residence permit.

Minister's comment on the changes

At the Polska Moc Biznesu congress, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration Maciej Duszczyk expressed that refugees will be considered on par with other foreigners.

“The right to work, the right to education, or social benefits stem from the right of stay, so the form of legalization is key. We are moving in the direction of encouraging citizens of Ukraine, who currently have legal grounds for stay as war refugees, to change their status, for example, due to education or the labor market. And such an instrument will be available to them already in January or at the latest at the beginning of February,”

Procedure for changing status

The Deputy Minister clarified that Ukrainians will not need to visit offices to apply for a status change:

“They (refugees) will need to register in a special information system. They will enter their data on the website and fill out a short form. This form will be automatically sent to the Voivodeship offices. They will verify the available data against the information provided by the foreigner. If everything matches, the person will be invited to give fingerprints and will be issued a residence permit for three years.”

Future actions of the government

The Polish government also plans to consider a new bill, which provides for the gradual termination of assistance mechanisms for refugees from Ukraine. Currently, approximately one million Ukrainians, mostly women and children, are benefiting from temporary protection in Poland.

The adoption of this law indicates the Polish government's intention to provide Ukrainians with more opportunities for integration. Changing the status could be an important step for thousands of people who ended up in Poland due to the war and opens new prospects for their future in this country. However, at the same time, the government plans to review assistance, which may affect the lives of Ukrainian refugees in the coming months. It is important to monitor developments and the readiness of the Polish authorities to support their guests in the future.”