In Poland, the number of work permits issued to foreigners has halved: what is the reason

In Poland, approximately half as many work permits for foreigners were issued in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year. The government attributes the decline not only to stricter migration policies but also to a reduction in fake applications. InPoland reports on this here.

Why Poland issued 50% fewer work permits

The preliminary results were reported by Poland's Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration, Maciej Duszczyk. According to him, the verification of statistics is still ongoing, so final figures may be adjusted.

«Very good data regarding new work permits. In the first half of 2026, the decline is approximately 50% compared to the previous year», – wrote the official.

He named the new legislation regarding the employment of foreigners as the main reason. It aims to filter out applications that employers submitted formally, without a real intention to hire a worker.

The new rules strengthened the verification of employers, the responsibility for illegal employment, and control over the use of permits. Procedures are being transitioned to an electronic format, and local authorities have gained more capabilities to limit the hiring of foreigners in the event of a worsening situation in the labor market.

At the same time, the level of refusals has decreased. According to Duszczyk's explanation, this means that fewer questionable applications are received for consideration, and the share of documents from employers with real vacancies is increasing.

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What the reduction in permits means for Ukrainians in Poland

The decline in the number of permits does not mean that the number of employed foreigners in Poland has also halved. Some people are working under other procedures, so this statistic reflects only one way of legalizing employment.

There is a separate simplified mechanism for Ukrainians. Citizens of Ukraine who are legally in Poland can work without a traditional permit. The employer must report the employment through the praca.gov.pl portal within seven days.

This procedure remains in effect for Ukrainians during the three-year transitional period. For those with temporary protection, the right to work without a permit also remains valid. This is confirmed by the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy of Poland.

Therefore, the new statistics do not directly indicate a mass closure of the Polish labor market for Ukrainians. It primarily shows a strengthening of control over employers and citizens of other countries who need a standard permit.

Let us remind you that in Poland they want to imprison for 30 years for violations in the army.