Last week, the Office for Foreigners (UdSC) issued a statement confirming that its position regarding international protection for Ukrainian citizens (refugee status or subsidiary protection) has not changed – in most cases, there are no grounds to grant such protection.
“Thanks to concerns raised by employers, the Office has finally taken the official stance we were seeking. Now we can await with greater confidence the progress of work on the amendment of the so-called special law, which will regulate the rights of foreigners to benefits and clarify the residence status of Ukrainian citizens after September 30,” commented Yuriy Grygorenko, Director of the Gremi Personal Analytical Center.
The UdSC officially clarified that, despite the President of Poland’s veto of the aid law for Ukrainian citizens, they continue to benefit from temporary protection until the date set by the EU Council’s decision. Their legal stay in Poland is secured until March 4, 2026, with an extension already foreseen until March 4, 2027.
At the same time, the Office reminded that since March 2025, officials have been conducting individual assessments of foreigners applying for international protection, following a sharp increase in applications since mid-2023. The UdSC emphasized that in the vast majority of cases there are no grounds to grant Ukrainian nationals international protection, as they are still covered by temporary protection.
The government is working on separate legislation regulating key issues for Ukrainians in Poland, initiated by the Ministry of the Interior and Administration (MSWiA). Yesterday, the ministry announced the nearing completion of months of work and outlined the main changes:
- Better identification of foreigners – a PESEL number will be required when applying for benefits; biometric verification of Ukrainians is also being prepared.
- Exclusion of small border traffic participants – Ukrainians using local border traffic arrangements will not be entitled to benefits.
- Tighter health system safeguards – to prevent abuse, the scope of healthcare benefits for Ukrainian refugees will be narrowed.
- Conditional family benefits (800+) – non-EU foreigners will only be eligible if at least one parent is professionally active.
“The most important thing is that Ukrainian citizens in Poland have certainty regarding their legal stay, access to work, education, and basic healthcare. We welcome the tightening of the system, as it strengthens social stability and reduces sources of unnecessary tension between Poles and Ukrainians,” Grygorenko assessed.
According to the UdSC report of February 24, 2025, nearly 1 million people in Poland are covered by temporary protection – precisely 993,000 registered individuals, mostly women and children.
Eurostat data confirm these figures: as of the end of January 2025, there were 993,015 Ukrainians under temporary protection in Poland. In March 2025, the number rose slightly to 997,120, and by June 2025 it reached 992,500, marking the largest monthly increase in the EU.
Data from the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) show that at the end of July 2025, 1,248,062 foreigners were employed in Poland, including 824,470 Ukrainians. They accounted for 67 percent of all foreign workers in the country.
Source: ceo.com.pl
