Poland’s Border Guard closed the year by revealing that 2,100 foreign nationals were forcibly removed from the country in 2025—almost twice the figure recorded in 2024 and nearly four times the total in 2022. The disclosure, published on 31 December by independent outlet Notes from Poland, underscores how Warsaw’s centre-left government has shifted from the laissez-faire approach of the previous administration to a far more enforcement-oriented stance on irregular migration.
Ukrainian citizens—Poland’s largest immigrant group—accounted for over half of all deportations (1,150 cases). Georgians were the second-largest cohort, with 350 removals, reflecting official concerns about an uptick in organised property crime blamed on Georgian gangs earlier this year. Overall, 9,300 foreigners were ordered to leave Poland in 2025; most departed voluntarily once served with an expulsion decision, but those who did not comply were placed in detention and put on escorted flights or bus convoys to neighbouring states.
Against this backdrop, organisations and travellers trying to secure the correct paperwork can benefit from specialist guidance: VisaHQ’s Poland portal (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) offers up-to-date visa requirements, document checklists and application management tools that reduce the risk of costly mistakes in the current zero-tolerance climate.
![Poland doubles forced deportations in 2025 under tougher migration policy]()
The spike follows a series of legislative and administrative measures adopted since January: a statutory ban on filing asylum claims after illegal entry from Belarus; the reinstatement of temporary border controls with Germany and Lithuania; new powers allowing immigration inspectors to search worksites without notice; and a 300–700 per cent hike in work-permit fees designed to deter what officials describe as “speculative applications”.
For global-mobility teams the message is clear—paperwork lapses that might once have attracted only fines are now far more likely to lead to deportation and multi-year re-entry bans. Companies should audit the residence status of all non-EU staff, ensure that contracts meet the higher 2026 minimum-salary thresholds and, critically, keep original documents on site: inspectors now have authority to confiscate passports and digital devices to establish identity and intention.
Human-rights groups have criticised the policy, citing cases in which long-term residents were expelled for minor administrative breaches, but opinion polls show strong domestic backing: 61 per cent of Polish voters surveyed in November support “rapid deportation” of migrants who overstay visas or commit crimes. With a general election due in late 2026, analysts expect the government to maintain, if not intensify, its hard-line approach next year.
Ukrainian citizens—Poland’s largest immigrant group—accounted for over half of all deportations (1,150 cases). Georgians were the second-largest cohort, with 350 removals, reflecting official concerns about an uptick in organised property crime blamed on Georgian gangs earlier this year. Overall, 9,300 foreigners were ordered to leave Poland in 2025; most departed voluntarily once served with an expulsion decision, but those who did not comply were placed in detention and put on escorted flights or bus convoys to neighbouring states.
Against this backdrop, organisations and travellers trying to secure the correct paperwork can benefit from specialist guidance: VisaHQ’s Poland portal (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) offers up-to-date visa requirements, document checklists and application management tools that reduce the risk of costly mistakes in the current zero-tolerance climate.
The spike follows a series of legislative and administrative measures adopted since January: a statutory ban on filing asylum claims after illegal entry from Belarus; the reinstatement of temporary border controls with Germany and Lithuania; new powers allowing immigration inspectors to search worksites without notice; and a 300–700 per cent hike in work-permit fees designed to deter what officials describe as “speculative applications”.
For global-mobility teams the message is clear—paperwork lapses that might once have attracted only fines are now far more likely to lead to deportation and multi-year re-entry bans. Companies should audit the residence status of all non-EU staff, ensure that contracts meet the higher 2026 minimum-salary thresholds and, critically, keep original documents on site: inspectors now have authority to confiscate passports and digital devices to establish identity and intention.
Human-rights groups have criticised the policy, citing cases in which long-term residents were expelled for minor administrative breaches, but opinion polls show strong domestic backing: 61 per cent of Polish voters surveyed in November support “rapid deportation” of migrants who overstay visas or commit crimes. With a general election due in late 2026, analysts expect the government to maintain, if not intensify, its hard-line approach next year.
