A joint overnight sweep by Poland’s Maritime Border Guard Unit and Tczew police has resulted in the arrest of two Ukrainian citizens and one Moldovan national for immigration violations and related crimes, local outlet Kresy.pl reported on 2 May. The raids, codenamed Operation “Foreigners”, targeted rented flats and garages suspected of harbouring overstayers and handling stolen goods. According to a Border Guard spokesperson, a 30-year-old Ukrainian was detained for lacking any valid residence documentation, while a 38-year-old compatriot faces charges of multiple vehicle break-ins across the Pomeranian region. The Moldovan suspect was found without papers and linked to minor thefts. All three were placed in guarded centres pending administrative deportation procedures and five-year re-entry bans. The operation forms part of a wider national crackdown following last year’s overhaul of the Act on Employment of Foreigners, which introduced steeper fines for employers who fail to verify work-permit status. Since January, Pomeranian officers have inspected 1,270 workplaces and initiated 214 deportations—an 18 % year-on-year increase.
For companies employing non-EU nationals, the case is a reminder of Poland’s stricter compliance climate ahead of the MOS digital filing switch on 1 June. Legal advisers urge HR teams to audit documentation, ensure that work-permit renewals are lodged within statutory deadlines, and report contract start-ups or terminations in the new system within seven days to avoid liability for “facilitating illegal stay”.
![Border Guard operation in Tczew leads to deportation proceedings against three overstaying nationals]()
Companies and individual travellers who need hands-on help navigating these tighter requirements can use VisaHQ’s online platform to confirm visa needs, submit applications, and have supporting documents pre-checked before departure, reducing the risk of costly compliance errors. Full service details are available at https://www.visahq.com/poland/
While the arrests concern individual offenders, business travellers can also be caught out by lapses such as exceeding the 90/180-day Schengen limit. Mobility managers should track staff entries recorded in the EES database and use automatic alerts to flag impending overstays, especially for rotating technicians and consultants whose trips add up quickly.
For companies employing non-EU nationals, the case is a reminder of Poland’s stricter compliance climate ahead of the MOS digital filing switch on 1 June. Legal advisers urge HR teams to audit documentation, ensure that work-permit renewals are lodged within statutory deadlines, and report contract start-ups or terminations in the new system within seven days to avoid liability for “facilitating illegal stay”.
Companies and individual travellers who need hands-on help navigating these tighter requirements can use VisaHQ’s online platform to confirm visa needs, submit applications, and have supporting documents pre-checked before departure, reducing the risk of costly compliance errors. Full service details are available at https://www.visahq.com/poland/
While the arrests concern individual offenders, business travellers can also be caught out by lapses such as exceeding the 90/180-day Schengen limit. Mobility managers should track staff entries recorded in the EES database and use automatic alerts to flag impending overstays, especially for rotating technicians and consultants whose trips add up quickly.
