If you run a company that employs Ukrainian workers — or are considering doing so — the latest changes to Polish residence regulations are essential reading. Under new legislation, a wide range of residence permits and documents have been extended until 4 March 2027, providing much-needed stability for both employers and employees.

Polish law has extended the validity of numerous residence documents and permits held by Ukrainian citizens who arrived in Poland following the outbreak of war on 24 February 2022. The changes cover several key categories:

•National visas — both the period of stay and the validity of national visas issued to Ukrainian citizens whose expiry date fell on or after 24 February 2022 have been extended.

•Temporary residence permits — permits whose validity was due to expire on or after 24 February 2022 have been automatically extended.

•Residence cards and Polish foreigner identity documents — this includes both residence cards and "zgoda na pobyt tolerowany" (tolerated stay) documents issued to Ukrainian citizens whose validity was set to expire after the above date.

•Stays based on Schengen visas and visa-free entry — individuals who exhausted their permitted stay after 24 February 2022 under Polish or other Schengen-country visas, or under visa-free arrangements, continue to reside in Poland legally.

•Business activity of Ukrainian entrepreneurs — when processing applications for temporary residence permits for the purpose of running a business, authorities do not apply the standard requirements regarding the scale or quality of operations to Ukrainian entrepreneurs registered in the CEIDG business register.

The extension of residence entitlements until 4 March 2027 is welcome news for Polish employers. Ukrainian employees whose documents fall within the scope of the new regulations retain their legal residence status without any immediate need to renew their paperwork. In practical terms, this means:

•you can lawfully continue employing your Ukrainian staff,

•you reduce the risk of breaching employment and immigration law,

•you have time to complete all the necessary formalities without the pressure of imminent deadlines.

Immigration and employment law can be complex, and non-compliance carries serious consequences. Our team of specialists keeps a close eye on regulatory changes and we could assist in obtaining:

• a Temporary Residence and work permit;
• a Temporary Residence permit for the purpose of pursuing employment in a profession requiring high qualifications;
• a Temporary Tesidence permit for the purpose of conducting business activity;
• a Temporary Residence permit for a family member of a Polish citizen;
• a Temporary Residence permit for the purpose of family reunification.

Have questions about your employees' legal status? Get in touch — we are here to help.