GMI Legal Update: Amendment to Ukrainian Special Act Has Entered into Force – Legal Stay of Ukrainian Citizens in Poland Officially Extended until June 30, 2024

On February 22, 2024, the amendment to the so-called Ukrainian Special Act, i.e. the Act on assistance to citizens of Ukraine in connection with an armed conflict on the territory of this country entered into force (after publication in the Journal of Laws on February 21, 2024). Special solutions related to the right of residence and work of Ukrainian citizens in Poland have been extended until June 30, 2024.

The details of the immigration solutions introduced by the amendment to the Special Act are unchanged as compared to the original draft bill which we discussed here.

Thus, the new regulations introduce:

• Extension until June 30, 2024 of the right of residence in Poland for holders of the so-called UKR status, i.e. persons who came to Poland in connection with hostilities conducted in Ukraine.
• Extension until June 30, 2024, of the right of residence in Poland for Ukrainian citizens whose visas, temporary residence permits or the right to stay in visa-free travel expired after February 24, 2022.
• Maintaining (without fixed term) right to work in Poland for legally residing Ukrainian citizens, without the need to obtain a work permit, based on a notification submitted by the employer to the labor office.
• Extension until June 30, 2024 of the period in which a special 1-year temporary residence permit is granted to a citizen of Ukraine in a situation where he or she does not meet the usual conditions for granting a temporary residence permit.
• Extension until June 30, 2024, of the facilitations in the procedure for obtaining a temporary residence permit for the purpose of running a sole proprietorship.

Download PDF here.