President Karol Nawrocki has refused to sign the special law extending the legal stay of Ukrainian refugees in Poland until March 2026.
He argued that access to the Polish healthcare system should only be granted to Ukrainians who undertake the effort of working in Poland. The President declared that until these provisions are changed, he will not sign the amendment to the special law. Under current rules, legal protection is only valid until September 30, 2025.
The President’s move came as a surprise, since during his election campaign he never indicated opposition to helping Ukraine. Currently, 78% of refugees with UKR status are employed, meaning the issue concerns the remaining 20% who are not economically active. Who are they?
When I learned about this news, I happened to be standing outside the Consulate General of Ukraine in Kraków and was able to ask Ukrainians what they thought of the decision. A woman waiting to register her child for Ukrainian citizenship explained that she does not work, but since giving birth in Poland she has been covered by healthcare under the special law. According to the President, this is unfair compared to the rights of Poles. But there is a small difference: her husband remains in Ukraine, so she cannot rely on his insurance to obtain full medical care. This group of vulnerable refugees will be hit hardest by the change – and the question remains, is this really the intended goal?
Rarely is it mentioned how much aid goes to the unemployed compared to the contributions paid into Poland’s Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) by over 800,000 working Ukrainians. In the coming months, the law will likely have to be signed anyway, as it is an EU requirement. Employers who hire Ukrainians, as well as the refugees themselves, are not ready for a sudden return home, and the law will not fundamentally change their situation. What it will change is healthcare access for the most vulnerable refugees – which will only worsen their condition. It is hard to imagine that this is truly the President’s objective.
As for illegal work, the grey economy among foreigners still exists, but not at the scale of 5–10 years ago. New regulations have tightened the system so much that working “off the books” is now nearly impossible. If the special law is not in force after October 1, the system is also unprepared to handle hundreds of thousands of applications for residence permits under the pre-existing rules. This would be an immediate and massive blow to Poland’s labor market and economy.
“Is Poland ready for that, at a time when the country is already feeling the impact of a crisis caused by both external and internal factors? The changes proposed by the President will also weaken the sense of security among Ukrainians working in Poland, and this may push them either to move to another country or even return to Ukraine,” commented Yuriy Grygorenko, Director of the Gremi Personal Analytical Center.
Source: CEO.com.pl
