The Silesian Division of the Polish Border Guard (ŚlOSG) revealed yesterday that officers detained 28 foreign nationals across six inland checkpoints during a weekend-long immigration enforcement operation. The largest single stop occurred in Częstochowa, where ten Colombians, two Indonesians and an Iraqi national were found working without authorisation or staying beyond visa validity. Further checks in Katowice-Pyrzowice Airport, Opole and Sosnowiec uncovered overstays by Moldovan and Uzbek seasonal workers, as well as Venezuelan and Georgian travellers who had entered on tourist visas but taken up paid employment. Fifteen individuals have already received return-orders carrying three-year re-entry bans, while files on the remainder are still being processed. Although the raids took place away from Poland’s external borders, they underline Warsaw’s commitment to post-entry enforcement at a time when labour shortages are driving companies to search for talent abroad. Since January, ŚlOSG alone has issued more than 1,500 return decisions—double the figure for the same period in 2025. Manufacturers and logistics firms in the Upper Silesian Industrial District that rely on third-country subcontractors are now bracing for more on-site inspections. Immigration lawyers warn that the penalties can extend beyond removal orders. Under the 2023 amendment to the Act on Employment of Foreigners, companies found knowingly hiring irregular workers face fines up to PLN 30,000 per person and may be barred from future work-permit sponsorship for up to three years. Multinationals are therefore stepping up document-audit cycles, and several staffing agencies have introduced digital dashboards that flag expiring visas 60 days in advance. Practical takeaway: HR managers should cross-validate National Visa (D) and TEMP cards against the MOS e-filing system and confirm that any Schengen “C-visa” holders do not exceed 90 days within 180. Internal travel and accommodation logs also count as proof of due diligence during an inspection.
Source: Polish Border Guard – ŚlOSG
