On Friday, 29 November, the Polish Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy confirmed that Georgian nationals will lose access to Poland’s popular ‘employer declaration’ scheme as of 1 December 2025. Under the programme—widely used in agriculture, construction and logistics—employers could file a short, low-cost declaration (oświadczenie) at their local labour office, allowing citizens of selected countries to obtain a six- to 24-month national visa without the longer work-permit process.
The change narrows the list of eligible countries from five to four: Armenia, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine remain covered, while Georgia is dropped. Officials cited “the evolving political situation in Georgia and the state of bilateral relations” as the reason, echoing Warsaw’s criticism of Tbilisi’s perceived drift away from EU norms. Data from the Office for Foreigners show that 76,671 work permits were issued to Georgian citizens in 2024; industry groups estimate that up to half of those workers used the simplified route.
![Poland removes Georgia from its simplified work-visa programme, maintains access for four other countries]()
Practical implications are immediate. Any declaration for a Georgian national that is filed on or after 1 December will be rejected. Workers already in Poland on a valid declaration can continue until that document expires, but renewals will require a full Type-A work permit—entailing higher fees (PLN 200-800) and longer processing times. Recruiters in horticulture and food-processing warn that the timing—just before the peak seasonal-worker demand in early spring—could create labour shortages unless employers pivot quickly to other nationalities.
Georgian officials have downplayed the move. Speaking in Tbilisi, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said the decision was Poland’s “internal migration policy” and would mainly hurt Polish employers. He added that Georgia’s domestic labour market could absorb returning workers, though economists question whether wages at home can compete with Polish rates.
Why it matters: Companies relying on Georgian manpower must revise recruitment pipelines within days. Mobility managers should alert any affected assignees to the stricter permit requirements and prepare for longer lead times. The policy shift also signals that Poland is willing to use labour-migration levers—alongside visa fees—to advance foreign-policy objectives, a trend multinationals should monitor for other non-EU source countries.
The change narrows the list of eligible countries from five to four: Armenia, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine remain covered, while Georgia is dropped. Officials cited “the evolving political situation in Georgia and the state of bilateral relations” as the reason, echoing Warsaw’s criticism of Tbilisi’s perceived drift away from EU norms. Data from the Office for Foreigners show that 76,671 work permits were issued to Georgian citizens in 2024; industry groups estimate that up to half of those workers used the simplified route.
Practical implications are immediate. Any declaration for a Georgian national that is filed on or after 1 December will be rejected. Workers already in Poland on a valid declaration can continue until that document expires, but renewals will require a full Type-A work permit—entailing higher fees (PLN 200-800) and longer processing times. Recruiters in horticulture and food-processing warn that the timing—just before the peak seasonal-worker demand in early spring—could create labour shortages unless employers pivot quickly to other nationalities.
Georgian officials have downplayed the move. Speaking in Tbilisi, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said the decision was Poland’s “internal migration policy” and would mainly hurt Polish employers. He added that Georgia’s domestic labour market could absorb returning workers, though economists question whether wages at home can compete with Polish rates.
Why it matters: Companies relying on Georgian manpower must revise recruitment pipelines within days. Mobility managers should alert any affected assignees to the stricter permit requirements and prepare for longer lead times. The policy shift also signals that Poland is willing to use labour-migration levers—alongside visa fees—to advance foreign-policy objectives, a trend multinationals should monitor for other non-EU source countries.
