Poland’s Border Guard has revealed that 2,100 foreign nationals were forcibly removed from the country in 2025—almost twice the 2024 figure and nearly four times the total in 2022. The year-end disclosure highlights how the centre-left government that took office in 2023 is pairing its pro-EU rhetoric with a markedly tougher approach to irregular migration.
Ukrainian citizens—still the largest immigrant group in Poland—accounted for more than half of all deportations (1,150 cases). Georgians were the second-largest cohort at 350 removals, reflecting official concern about a spike in organised property crime blamed on Georgian gangs earlier in the year. Other nationalities included citizens of Belarus, Moldova and Nigeria.
For companies and individuals navigating Poland’s stricter enforcement landscape, VisaHQ can be an invaluable resource. Its dedicated Poland page (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) offers real-time guidance on visa categories, document checklists and application filing, helping travellers and HR teams secure the correct permits before compliance issues escalate.
![Poland doubles forced deportations in 2025, signalling tougher migration stance]()
Officials attribute the surge to expanded investigative powers granted to the Border Guard in mid-2025, as well as closer data-sharing with the National Police and Labour Inspectorate. Employers found to be harbouring undocumented workers now face fines of up to PLN 50,000 per person and, in serious cases, temporary closure orders.
For corporate mobility programmes the message is clear: document compliance is no longer a formality. HR teams should audit active assignments, ensure that residence permits have migrated to the new MOS system and verify that subcontractors have valid work authorisations. Companies employing Ukrainians under humanitarian parole are urged to track renewal deadlines scrupulously, as tolerance for overstays is waning.
Longer term, the enforcement push may tighten an already stretched labour market, particularly in construction, agriculture and logistics. Some industry lobbies are urging the government to couple enforcement with faster work-permit processing to avoid labour shortages.
Ukrainian citizens—still the largest immigrant group in Poland—accounted for more than half of all deportations (1,150 cases). Georgians were the second-largest cohort at 350 removals, reflecting official concern about a spike in organised property crime blamed on Georgian gangs earlier in the year. Other nationalities included citizens of Belarus, Moldova and Nigeria.
For companies and individuals navigating Poland’s stricter enforcement landscape, VisaHQ can be an invaluable resource. Its dedicated Poland page (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) offers real-time guidance on visa categories, document checklists and application filing, helping travellers and HR teams secure the correct permits before compliance issues escalate.
Officials attribute the surge to expanded investigative powers granted to the Border Guard in mid-2025, as well as closer data-sharing with the National Police and Labour Inspectorate. Employers found to be harbouring undocumented workers now face fines of up to PLN 50,000 per person and, in serious cases, temporary closure orders.
For corporate mobility programmes the message is clear: document compliance is no longer a formality. HR teams should audit active assignments, ensure that residence permits have migrated to the new MOS system and verify that subcontractors have valid work authorisations. Companies employing Ukrainians under humanitarian parole are urged to track renewal deadlines scrupulously, as tolerance for overstays is waning.
Longer term, the enforcement push may tighten an already stretched labour market, particularly in construction, agriculture and logistics. Some industry lobbies are urging the government to couple enforcement with faster work-permit processing to avoid labour shortages.
