The Standing Committee of Experts on International Migration, Refugee and Criminal Law (Meijers Commission) published its January 2026 Migration Update on 18 February, dissecting the European Commission’s inaugural Annual Migration and Asylum Report. The report notes a 35 percent drop in illegal border crossings year-on-year and singles out Poland, Latvia and Lithuania for reinforcing borders against what Brussels calls the “instrumentalisation of migration” by Belarus and Russia.
Of direct interest to multinationals operating in Poland, the Update confirms that the New Pact on Migration and Asylum will enter its first management cycle in mid-2026 with mandatory “solidarity contributions” from each member state—either through relocations, cash or operational support. Poland is classed as “at risk of migratory pressure” because of its reception of Ukrainian refugees and could request offsets, but only if it files an implementation plan on time. Failure to comply could expose Warsaw to infringement procedures, the Commission warns.
![EU’s first Annual Migration & Asylum Report flags Poland’s border approach ahead of Pact roll-out]()
For businesses navigating these changes, VisaHQ can provide hands-on assistance with Polish visas, Schengen travel authorisations and other documentation through its online platform (https://www.visahq.com/poland/). By automating applications and offering real-time regulatory updates, the service helps mobility teams and individual travellers stay compliant as EU rules evolve.
The document further underlines the EU’s push for fully digital border management systems—Entry/Exit (EES), ETIAS and the revamped Eurodac biometric database—scheduled to be interoperable by June 2026. Companies sending assignees to Poland should prepare for stricter advance traveller authorisation and enhanced screening at external Schengen borders, including Polish airports.
Labour-mobility provisions also feature: the Commission promises new “talent partnerships” with third-country governments and encourages member states to trial artificial-intelligence tools in asylum processing. For HR and global-mobility teams, the key takeaway is that policy flux will continue through 2026; proactive compliance and monitoring of Poland’s stance on the Pact will be crucial for business-critical foreign staff.
Of direct interest to multinationals operating in Poland, the Update confirms that the New Pact on Migration and Asylum will enter its first management cycle in mid-2026 with mandatory “solidarity contributions” from each member state—either through relocations, cash or operational support. Poland is classed as “at risk of migratory pressure” because of its reception of Ukrainian refugees and could request offsets, but only if it files an implementation plan on time. Failure to comply could expose Warsaw to infringement procedures, the Commission warns.
For businesses navigating these changes, VisaHQ can provide hands-on assistance with Polish visas, Schengen travel authorisations and other documentation through its online platform (https://www.visahq.com/poland/). By automating applications and offering real-time regulatory updates, the service helps mobility teams and individual travellers stay compliant as EU rules evolve.
The document further underlines the EU’s push for fully digital border management systems—Entry/Exit (EES), ETIAS and the revamped Eurodac biometric database—scheduled to be interoperable by June 2026. Companies sending assignees to Poland should prepare for stricter advance traveller authorisation and enhanced screening at external Schengen borders, including Polish airports.
Labour-mobility provisions also feature: the Commission promises new “talent partnerships” with third-country governments and encourages member states to trial artificial-intelligence tools in asylum processing. For HR and global-mobility teams, the key takeaway is that policy flux will continue through 2026; proactive compliance and monitoring of Poland’s stance on the Pact will be crucial for business-critical foreign staff.
