New rules for Ukrainians in Poland take effect after March 5
The Embassy of Ukraine in Poland has announced the termination of the special law on assistance to Ukrainians introduced after Russia’s full-scale invasion.
According to Censor.NET, this was stated in a post by the embassy on Facebook.
From March 5, key provisions regarding the stay of Ukrainian citizens have been transferred to systemic regulations, in particular to the law on granting protection to foreigners on the territory of the Republic of Poland.
Temporary protection for Ukrainians will remain in force until March 4, 2027, in accordance with a decision of the Council of the EU. A stay is considered legal if a person entered Poland after February 24, 2022, due to the war, obtained a PESEL number with UKR status, and does not have similar protection in another EU state.
New rules for residence and assistance
From March 5, 2026, an updated system of accommodation support will be introduced. The Minister of the Interior will be able to provide a place in a collective accommodation centre or financial assistance.
For newly arrived persons, accommodation support will be provided for a maximum of 60 days from the first entry. The total period of free stay in the centres will not exceed 12 months for the entire period of temporary protection. The entire period of residence since 2022 will be taken into account.
A transitional period will remain in force until June 30, 2026. The voivode will be able to allow those already residing in a centre to remain there even if the limit has been exceeded. After this date, individuals who do not belong to vulnerable categories will lose the right to free accommodation.
Medical assistance and grounds for termination of protection
Persons with temporary protection will have access to medical assistance under conditions similar to those for Polish citizens.
- The full range of services will be provided if a person has insurance and pays contributions to ZUS.
- Without insurance, only emergency care is guaranteed, as well as support during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and medical care for children under 18.
Payments under the 800+ programme and other family benefits will be provided on the same basis as for other foreigners. A mandatory condition is the professional activity of the guardian and the child’s school attendance.
The statement emphasizes: "Temporary protection is in force until March 4, 2027. Further decisions regarding the extension or changes to the stay regime will be taken by the Polish government."
Temporary protection is not granted or is terminated if a person has obtained another legal status in EU countries, applied for international protection, provided false information, or remained outside Poland for more than 30 days.
- Earlier, we reported that the number of Ukrainian citizens who left over the past year exceeded the number of those who returned by 303,000.
