POLAND ENDS SPECIAL STATUS FOR UKRAINIAN REFUGEES 🇵🇱🇺🇦
President Karol Nawrocki has signed legislation ending the special legal status granted to Ukrainian refugees since the Russian invasion in February 2022. The changes take effect March 5, 2026.
📋 KEY CHANGES (effective March 5, 2026)
• Ukrainians who arrived after Feb 24, 2022 retain the right to live and work in Poland
• BUT they must now apply for standard temporary or long-term residence permits
• Free accommodation limited to vulnerable groups only
• Housing cash allowances ending
• Work permits now required (same rules as other foreigners)
• Extra Polish-language school classes being phased out
• Business rights equalized — same rules as other foreign nationals
🏛️ WHY THE CHANGE
Poland hosted the largest number of Ukrainian refugees in Europe — over 1.5 million at peak. The government stated that special treatment was justified during the crisis but over time created perceived inequality toward Polish citizens. PM Tusk emphasized this is "normalization, not rejection."
📊 BY THE NUMBERS
• ~950,000 Ukrainians currently registered in Poland
• Poland spent over €8 billion on refugee support since 2022
• 3 years of special status provisions
• Poland remains the #1 EU host country for Ukrainians
🇵🇱 FOR POLONIA
This is a significant domestic policy shift in Poland. For Polish-Americans with family in Poland, it reflects the broader European trend of transitioning from emergency refugee support to standard immigration frameworks. Ukrainians in Poland retain legal status but under the same rules as other immigrants.
Sources: Notes From Poland, VisaHQ
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