Poland’s Office for Foreigners has released new figures showing that 12,113 Belarusian citizens received Polish residence permits between January and May 2026. The bulk of the approvals (10,134) were for temporary residence, followed by 1,599 permanent-residence cards and 380 EU long-term resident permits. Belarusians continue to represent one of the largest non-EU communities in Poland. Since mass protests erupted in Belarus in 2020, many professionals, IT specialists and political activists have relocated to Polish cities such as Warsaw, Kraków and Wrocław, drawn by a familiar language environment, access to the EU market and streamlined humanitarian channels. According to the Office, 66 % of this year’s temporary permits were employment-based, 24 % were for family reunification and 3 % for study, underlining the growing economic—not just humanitarian—dimension of Belarusian migration.
![Poland Issues Over 12,000 Residence Permits to Belarusians in First Five Months of 2026]()
Professionals and families seeking to navigate these Polish immigration pathways can enlist the support of VisaHQ, whose online platform offers step-by-step guidance, document validation and courier submission services for Poland; learn more at https://www.visahq.com/poland/
During the same period, 1,374 Belarusian applications were rejected and 598 were closed without a decision, suggesting that Polish authorities are becoming more rigorous about supporting documentation and labour-market compliance. Even so, the overall approval rate remains high and processing times, currently averaging 277 days, have been falling thanks to an accelerated digital-filing system introduced in late 2025. The new data also highlight rising demand for international protection: 623 asylum applications covering 766 individuals were filed by Belarusians in the first five months of the year, and 455 people received refugee or subsidiary-protection status. Poland has additionally issued 2,737 special travel documents to Belarusians whose passports expired after Minsk restricted consular services abroad. For multinational employers, the figures confirm that Poland remains the EU’s most accessible landing spot for skilled Belarusian talent. Companies should, however, prepare for longer onboarding lead times, ensure labour-market tests are properly documented and monitor upcoming amendments to the Polish Foreigners Act scheduled for parliamentary debate in Q4 2026.
Professionals and families seeking to navigate these Polish immigration pathways can enlist the support of VisaHQ, whose online platform offers step-by-step guidance, document validation and courier submission services for Poland; learn more at https://www.visahq.com/poland/
During the same period, 1,374 Belarusian applications were rejected and 598 were closed without a decision, suggesting that Polish authorities are becoming more rigorous about supporting documentation and labour-market compliance. Even so, the overall approval rate remains high and processing times, currently averaging 277 days, have been falling thanks to an accelerated digital-filing system introduced in late 2025. The new data also highlight rising demand for international protection: 623 asylum applications covering 766 individuals were filed by Belarusians in the first five months of the year, and 455 people received refugee or subsidiary-protection status. Poland has additionally issued 2,737 special travel documents to Belarusians whose passports expired after Minsk restricted consular services abroad. For multinational employers, the figures confirm that Poland remains the EU’s most accessible landing spot for skilled Belarusian talent. Companies should, however, prepare for longer onboarding lead times, ensure labour-market tests are properly documented and monitor upcoming amendments to the Polish Foreigners Act scheduled for parliamentary debate in Q4 2026.
