flash news
A document called “Schedule of work on drawing up a comprehensive, responsible and secure migration strategy for Poland for 2025-2030” has been published by the Ministry of the Interior and Administration.
The schedule anticipates that a final draft of the strategy is to be ready by the end of this year. The next step, planned for January-June 2025, is to involve new draft bills to regulate immigration, including a new bill on foreigners.
According to the bill released on Friday, changes to the law on assisting citizens of Ukraine in light of the armed conflict in their country propose extending special provisions and rights for Ukrainian citizens until June 30, 2024, for the time being. This extension covers aspects such as prolonging the legality of stay of Ukrainian citizens in Poland, the right to work based on notifications, and the right to engage in business activities. Further period (until at least 4 March 2024) will be the subject of separate legislative works.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced the suspension of participation in the programme "Poland. Business Harbour" as of 26 January 2024.
The purpose of the programme was to facilitate the relocation of IT professionals to Poland, especially from Belarus, Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Armenia, through a simplified process of obtaining visas.
According to the latest announcements from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration, the government has initiated preparations to amend the so-called 'Special Act for Ukrainian Citizens' to extend its validity for another six months, until September 2024.
Concurrently, amendments to the current regulations are expected, with a focus on new assistance rules for Ukrainian citizens residing in Poland. These adjustments aim to align with the current situation and needs in the Polish and European markets.
On 22 January 2024, a draft regulation of the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy amending the regulation on maximum permissible concentrations and intensities of factors harmful to health in the working environment was published on the website of the Government Legislation Centre.
The amendment provides for:
- Introduction of new values of maximum permissible concentrations for certain harmful factors,
- Extension with new chemicals of the List of values of maximum permissible concentrations of chemical and dust factors harmful to health in the working environment.
Currently, foreigners who are not covered by the Law on Assistance to Ukrainian Citizens in Connection with the Armed Conflict in Ukraine and who belong to the category of displaced persons listed in the EU Council's Executive Decision on the Existence of a Massive Inflow of Displaced Persons from Ukraine can enjoy temporary protection in Poland. This gives them a number of rights, including the right to work and stay in Poland. Confirmation of the exercise of temporary protection is a certificate issued by the Office for Foreigners.