Ukrainians who left the country after the start of the full-scale invasion of Russia will be able to apply for a temporary residence permit in Poland from April 1.
The EWL Migration Platform assures that such a certificate will give Ukrainian refugees long-term guarantees for legal stay and employment in Poland, reports Ukrinform.
Thus, from April 1, Ukrainian refugees in Poland who have Polish identification codes for their arrival in Poland after February 24, 2022 (PESEL UKR) can apply for a temporary residence permit ("residence card").
According to the study, almost half of the refugees (45%) plan to stay in Poland — at least for a year or several years after the end of the war.
Only 6% of Ukrainian citizens who arrived in Poland after the full-scale invasion intend to stay for permanent residence.
Documents for obtaining a residence card can be submitted by citizens of Ukraine with UKR status, regardless of how long they stay in Poland after arrival from February 24, 2022. However, only those citizens of Ukraine who are officially employed in Poland, who perform highly qualified work in Poland (scientists, engineers, employees of the IT sector, etc.), as well as Ukrainians who have opened business activities there, can receive a permit.
Citizens of Ukraine who do not meet these criteria are guaranteed legal stay in Poland until August 23, 2023 by the Polish Law on Support of Ukrainians. The changes to the law do not provide for the possibility of obtaining a residence card for those citizens of Ukraine who conduct business in Ukraine or work remotely in Ukraine, but are in Poland.
Those Ukrainians who stayed in Poland until February 24, 2022, can apply for a residence card on standard grounds (work, study, business, family reunification).
"Currently, 82% of Ukrainian refugees have found work in Poland, placed their children in kindergartens, schools and universities, opened their own businesses and are receiving education in Poland. Therefore, after the end of the war, they can stay in Poland for a certain time to complete their affairs, if they even decide to return to Ukraine," noted the head of the legalization department of the EWL Migration Platform Maria Kuzenko.
A temporary residence permit (residence card) gives Ukrainian refugees access to the Polish labor market for the duration of the permit (maximum of 3 years), the opportunity to change employers without the need to obtain a new beaten card, as well as free movement to other European countries. The issuance of a card may be refused or delayed if a citizen of Ukraine has incorrectly filled out the application form or submitted an incomplete package of documents. It is currently not possible to submit documents online.
According to approximate data, there may be up to three million Ukrainian citizens in Poland today, approximately one million of whom arrived after February 24 last year.