New employment rules for Ukrainians in Poland: what has changed since March 2026

From March 5, 2026, new rules for employing Ukrainian citizens came into force in Poland. The changes are related to the gradual phase-out of special legislation introduced after the start of the full-scale war in 2022. The Polish government is transitioning from crisis measures to a standard system for regulating the employment of foreigners. This means that the rules for Ukrainian citizens are gradually being integrated into the general system of migration and labor law in Poland.

Why new rules are being introduced

The special regulations in force since 2022 were created to ensure the rapid integration of Ukrainians into the Polish labor market after the outbreak of the war. They allowed employers to employ Ukrainian citizens much more easily. However, over time, the Polish authorities decided to gradually move to a more systemic model of regulating foreign labor. This approach is intended to ensure equal rules for all foreigners working in Poland and to integrate Ukrainian workers into the standard legal system.

How the system worked before

After 2022, Ukrainian citizens had simplified access to the Polish labor market. An employer could hire a Ukrainian citizen without obtaining a work permit. It was sufficient to submit a notification to the district labor office about assigning work to a foreigner. Thanks to this procedure, Ukrainians could start working almost immediately after arriving in Poland.

How the system works now

After the new rules came into force, the employment of foreigners in Poland is based on documents confirming the right to work. The most commonly used grounds are:

• notification of assigning work (powiadomienie);
• declaration of assigning work (oświadczenie);
• work permit (zezwolenie na pracę).

These documents define the main employment conditions, in particular:

• position;
• type of contract;
• working time;
• salary amount.

An employee may perform work only under the conditions specified in the documents.

Transition period for Ukrainians

At the same time, a three-year transition period is provided for Ukrainian citizens so that employers and employees can gradually adapt to the new system. During this period, mechanisms will be in place to ensure a smooth transition from special measures to standard employment procedures. Such a transition is intended to ensure labor market stability and avoid a sharp reduction in foreign employment.

How many Ukrainians work in Poland

Ukrainians remain the largest group of foreign workers in Poland. According to estimates, about 990,000 Ukrainian citizens with PESEL UKR status live in the country, of whom approximately 670,000 are economically active. In addition, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians stay in Poland on other grounds — in particular based on temporary or permanent residence permits.

What this means for Ukrainians

For most Ukrainians, access to the Polish labor market remains open. At the same time, the new rules mean a gradual return to the standard system of employing foreigners. This means that proper documentation confirming the right to work becomes crucial, as well as compliance of actual employment conditions with those specified in the documents. Gremi Personal monitors changes in Polish legislation and explains how the new rules may affect Ukrainians who work or plan to work in Poland.

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