Eight times fewer visas to Poland for foreign nationals - we have regained control over immigration. The government's migration policy is proving effective
09.06.2026
In the first quarter of 2026, Poland issued 16,000 work visas to foreign nationals - eight times fewer than in the same period of 2022. Furthermore, we issued several dozen per cent fewer student visas, over half as many work permits, and saw a sharp rise in successful deportations. The Polish government has implemented a new, assertive and selective migration policy, the key priorities of which are the safety of its citizens and a responsible approach to migration. Thanks to the tightening of procedures and the consistent enforcement of the law, the state has regained control over who enters Poland, for what purpose, and who must leave the country. The government's approach is based on the premise that immigration must bring tangible benefits, be commensurate with the state's capacity, and not have a negative impact on social cohesion.
Hard data confirms the effectiveness of the migration policy reforms
In order to protect the labour market, measures have been taken to curb abuses in the granting of work permits and the issuing of work visas in Poland.
The figures show an 87 per cent decrease in the number of work visas issued. In the first quarter of 2022, Poland issued 123,000 work visas, whereas in the first quarter of 2026, the figure stood at just 16,000 such visas.
In the first quarter of 2022, Poland issued 122,000 work permits, which was the result of a chaotic ‘open-door’ policy lacking proper oversight. Thanks to the measures taken by the current government, only 38,000 such permits were issued in the first quarter of 2026. This represents a 69 per cent decrease, which has effectively put an end to the malpractices and abuses within the system, as well as the submission of applications for deceptive reasons, which was a scourge during the previous government’s term.
At present, permits are issued only to those foreign nationals whose presence brings tangible benefits to the Polish economy and does not pose a threat to national security.
We have curbed abuses of the visa system and are enforcing the law
New guidelines for the verification of applications at consulates, together with close cooperation with universities, have curbed the abuse of student status. In 2021, nearly 31,000 student visas were issued for Poland, whereas in 2025 there were only 11,000 such visas. The 65 per cent decrease confirms that the measures taken to tighten controls have had the desired effect, and that Poland is supporting the genuine internationalisation of science by issuing student visas in accordance with their intended purpose.
Alongside legislative measures, the high effectiveness of the Border Guard’s operations is of key importance, as it ensures the efficient enforcement of decisions requiring foreign nationals to leave the territory of the Republic of Poland. In the first quarter of 2022, around 900 such decisions were enforced, whereas in the first quarter of 2026, as many as 2,700 foreign nationals were deported. This represents an increase of almost 200 per cent and is direct evidence that the state monitors the presence of people on its territory.
The data confirms that consistent enforcement of the law yields tangible results. By putting Poland’s migration policy back on the right track, Poland is able to manage migration processes independently, thereby guaranteeing the stability of the state and the security of society, which remain a priority for the current government.
The need for changes to Poland’s migration policy following years of chaos and violations
The overhaul of Poland’s migration policy was a necessary response to the serious crises and shortcomings that Poland faced just a few years ago. The uncontrolled influx of migrants and the mass and irresponsible issuing of visas were among the main reasons for adopting a new course of action. Another serious problem was the use of student visas as a backdoor into the Schengen Area without any genuine intention of studying. In addition, the practice of obtaining work permits for deceptive reasons has become widespread, which has destabilised the domestic labour market.
In response to these challenges, the Ministry of Interior and Administration drew up a migration strategy which translated the analysis of these problems into specific legislative changes and results that are reflected in the statistics. In recent months, the government and individual ministries have introduced measures to tighten up the system and prevent the abuse of procedures.
A responsible migration policy and secure borders
Changes to the migration policy are a fundamental part of ensuring the security of Poland’s borders. In this area, over the past two years we have carried out investments worth many million zlotys, which have ensured the security of the Polish-Belarusian border and protected Poland from the migratory pressure created by Belarus and Russia. At the same time, we are carrying out effective checks at the borders with Lithuania and Germany, and we are also thoroughly screening non-EU nationals using the new Entry/Exit system at all border crossings.