Poland extends temporary protection for one million Ukrainians and pivots to long-term integration

Poland’s Council of Ministers has adopted an amendment to the Special Act on Assistance to Citizens of Ukraine, stretching all rights linked to EU temporary protection—legal stay, labour-market access, healthcare and social benefits—until 4 March 2026. The measure secures status for roughly one million Ukrainians who fled Russia’s invasion and remain in Poland.

At the same time Warsaw is shifting from emergency reception to integration. A nationwide network of National Integration Centres will pair regional authorities with NGOs to provide Polish-language tuition, skills assessments and job matching, fuelled by data from a new ‘Ukrainians in Poland’ dashboard. The tool tracks employment, benefit uptake and school attendance down to county level, giving employers a granular map of labour supply.



For mobility teams the extension removes a cliff-edge risk: Ukrainian staff can continue working under a simplified notification procedure rather than full work-permit sponsorship. Companies eyeing expansion can analyse the dashboard to decide where qualified candidates cluster, from shared-service hubs in Kraków to manufacturing belts in Silesia.

Two caveats stand out. From 2026 the flagship 800+ child benefit will require at least one parent to be employed, likely pushing more beneficiaries into formal jobs. Uninsured adult Ukrainians will see their basket of free medical services trimmed, increasing the value of employer-provided health cover. HR budgets must also account for higher MOS e-portal fees when refugees transition to standard residence permits.