On December 25, 2023, the Supreme Council of Ukraine published a draft amendment to the mobilization law. After the document was registered, the servers went down for several hours as so many people wanted to read it.
The proposed legislation involves changes to the issuing of passports to Ukrainian citizens. The plans stipulate limitations on certain groups who until now could freely leave the country. Among others, men with a disability level of 3 would be affected. If the regulations go into effect as is, those not exempted from military service will need to visit a mobilization point to get or renew a passport for overseas travel. The same rules would apply to those residing outside Ukraine. If their passport expires, they will need to make a necessary visit to a mobilization point to renew it.
This is undoubtedly the hottest topic in Ukraine right now. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will change the situation in the Polish labor market. Firstly, it’s only a draft bill, which, if passed, would only become operative after three months. I expect it to be reduced considering the large scale of public discontent. It’s also worth noting that it is unlikely that the Supreme Council will accept changes in this project, as the provisions proposed are in conflict with the Ukraine Constitution, concerning the limitation of rights and freedoms of the Ukrainian citizens. For now, the previous rules still apply, which means people wanting to move to Poland for work, or needing to renew their documents, still have time. No one is being forcibly sent back to Ukraine. I believe the bill will not affect the long-term labor market or significantly alter the current trends. Foreigners will still seek employment in Poland, and Ukrainians will continue to immigrate due to Russian aggression or for economic reasons – people have learned to live amid a full-scale war. Women are still likely to be the most common employees from Ukraine in Poland, and the overall contribution of Ukrainians in the Polish labor force will continue to decrease, says Yurij Grigorenko, Chief Analyst of the Analytical Center and Sales Director of Gremi Personal.
