Office for Foreigners

The Office for Foreigners would like to remind you that, as from 5 March 2026 [i], the Head of the Office for Foreigners no longer issues certificates confirming effective temporary protection [ii].

In the current regulatory framework, all foreign nationals who are beneficiaries of temporary protection under the relevant decision of the Council of the European Union [iii], and who have entered the territory of the Republic of Poland lawfully with a view to receiving temporary protection, are assigned a PESEL (Polish personal ID) number with “UKR” status, which officially attests their entitlement to such protection. Beneficiaries of temporary protection who have been assigned a PESEL number with “UKR” status may also download to their mobile device an electronic document made available by the Minister for Digital Affairs in the mObywatel app, which serves as a residence permit [iv].

Certificates confirming effective temporary protection issued to foreign nationals by the Head of the Office for Foreigners before 5 March 2026 will expire at the end of 4 March 2027 [v]. In the period during which these documents remain valid, their holders may apply for a PESEL number with “UKR” status without having to leave the territory of the Republic of Poland and re-enter it [vi]. If a foreign national is assigned a PESEL number with “UKR” status, his/her existing certificate will be voided by the Head of the Office for Foreigners [vii]. Holders of certificates issued before 5 March 2026 — for the period when the certificates remain valid — are still entitled to receive certain benefits from the Head of the Office for Foreigners under the provisions in force prior to that date [viii].

Beneficiaries of temporary protection who hold certificates confirming their enjoyment of temporary protection, issued by the Head of the Office for Foreigners before 5 March 2026, have, among other things, unrestricted access to the labour market. In such a case, however, the Polish employer is additionally obligated to notify the district labour office of the employment of a foreign national within 7 days of the foreign national commencing work [ix]. The notification is made via the praca.gov.pl ICT system (https://zielonalinia.gov.pl/powiadomienie-o-powierzeniu-pracy-cudzoziemcowi/). The Office for Foreigners believes that, where a foreign national holding such a certificate commenced work before 5 March 2026, his/her employer need not submit a notification in respect of that particular job. However, such an obligation will arise if the foreign national has taken up a new job.

 

[i] on 5 March 2026,  the Act of 23 January 2026 on the phasing out of measures resulting from the Act on assistance to Ukrainian citizens in connection with the armed conflict in the territory of that country and amending certain other acts (Journal of Laws, item 203) entered into force;

[ii] on 5 March 2026, Article 110 of the Act of 13 June 2003 on the granting of protection to foreign nationals within the territory of the Republic of Poland (Journal of Laws of 2026, item 862) was repealed;

[iii] Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382 of 4 March 2022 establishing the existence of a mass influx of displaced persons from Ukraine within the meaning of Article 5 of Directive 2001/55/EC, and having the effect of introducing temporary protection (OJ EU L 71 of 04.03.2022, page 1);

[iv] Article 110d(9) of the Act of 13 June 2003 on the granting of protection to foreign nationals within the territory of the Republic of Poland (Journal of Laws of 2026, item 862);

[v] Article 20(1) of the Act of 23 January 2026 on the phasing out of measures resulting from the Act on assistance to Ukrainian citizens in connection with the armed conflict in the territory of that country and amending certain other acts (Journal of Laws, item 203);

[vi] Article 20(4) of the Act of 23 January 2026 on the phasing out of measures resulting from the Act on assistance to Ukrainian citizens in connection with the armed conflict in the territory of that country and amending certain other acts (Journal of Laws, item 203);

[vii] Article 20(2) of the Act of 23 January 2026 on the phasing out of measures resulting from the Act on assistance to Ukrainian citizens in connection with the armed conflict in the territory of that country and amending certain other acts (Journal of Laws, item 203);

[viii] Article 112 of the Act of 13 June 2003 on the granting of protection to foreign nationals within the territory of the Republic of Poland, in the wording in force prior to 5 March 2026;

[ix] Article 3(1)(12) and Article 5a of the Act of 20 March 2025 on the conditions of admissibility of employment of foreigners within the territory of the Republic of Poland (Journal of Laws, item 621, as amended)