The Polish government has unveiled plans to tighten the special legislation that has governed the stay of Ukrainian war-displaced persons since February 2022. Speaking to Polish Radio on 21 January 2026, government spokesperson Adam Szałapka said the authorities would "substantially restrict" eligibility for the flagship 800+ child-benefit scheme and introduce co-payments for certain medical services.
Under the draft bill, only Ukrainian parents who are in formal employment or actively seeking work will remain entitled to the monthly 800-złoty allowance, while free access to state healthcare will be limited to basic and emergency treatment. Refugees who wish to keep wider benefits will be required to obtain a PESEL personal-ID number and regularise their status under the standard Foreigners Act. The Interior Ministry also intends to digitalise identity documents by replacing the paper residence card with an electronic DIIA card integrated into Poland’s mObywatel mobile app.
![Poland plans to curb welfare payments and healthcare access for Ukrainian refugees]()
At this juncture, employers and individual migrants may find it useful to consult VisaHQ, an online visa and document-processing platform that can help Ukrainian nationals and their Polish sponsors gather the paperwork required for PESEL registration, residence permits and future travel visas. The Warsaw-based team (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) tracks legislative changes in real time and can streamline appointment bookings, biometrics submissions and courier services, easing the administrative burden on HR departments.
For global-mobility programmes the changes have two main implications. First, companies employing Ukrainian nationals in Poland may face a surge in benefit-related administrative requests as workers seek documentation proving formal employment. Second, HR teams should prepare to support dependants who lose full healthcare coverage, for example by expanding private-medical insurance packages.
The government argues that the labour market has absorbed the majority of the 1.2 million Ukrainians still in Poland, making universal benefits unnecessary. NGOs warn that vulnerable groups—including single parents and the elderly—could fall through the cracks. The bill is expected to reach the Sejm in February, with most provisions slated to take effect on 1 April 2026. Employers should monitor the legislative calendar and brief affected assignees well in advance.
Under the draft bill, only Ukrainian parents who are in formal employment or actively seeking work will remain entitled to the monthly 800-złoty allowance, while free access to state healthcare will be limited to basic and emergency treatment. Refugees who wish to keep wider benefits will be required to obtain a PESEL personal-ID number and regularise their status under the standard Foreigners Act. The Interior Ministry also intends to digitalise identity documents by replacing the paper residence card with an electronic DIIA card integrated into Poland’s mObywatel mobile app.
At this juncture, employers and individual migrants may find it useful to consult VisaHQ, an online visa and document-processing platform that can help Ukrainian nationals and their Polish sponsors gather the paperwork required for PESEL registration, residence permits and future travel visas. The Warsaw-based team (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) tracks legislative changes in real time and can streamline appointment bookings, biometrics submissions and courier services, easing the administrative burden on HR departments.
For global-mobility programmes the changes have two main implications. First, companies employing Ukrainian nationals in Poland may face a surge in benefit-related administrative requests as workers seek documentation proving formal employment. Second, HR teams should prepare to support dependants who lose full healthcare coverage, for example by expanding private-medical insurance packages.
The government argues that the labour market has absorbed the majority of the 1.2 million Ukrainians still in Poland, making universal benefits unnecessary. NGOs warn that vulnerable groups—including single parents and the elderly—could fall through the cracks. The bill is expected to reach the Sejm in February, with most provisions slated to take effect on 1 April 2026. Employers should monitor the legislative calendar and brief affected assignees well in advance.
