Police from Wrocław’s criminal division, officers of the Polish Border Guard and labour-inspection officials carried out a surprise raid on a warehouse in Kąty Wrocławskie on 18–19 September. According to a joint statement, inspectors found that several foreign nationals—mainly citizens of Colombia and Venezuela employed via temporary-work agencies—lacked valid work permits or appropriate visa authorisations. Eighteen people were detained and transferred to Border Guard facilities where return procedures have begun. The action follows a regulatory change that took effect on 22 August barring citizens of Colombia, Venezuela and Georgia from working in Poland under visa-free stays. Employers must now secure full work permits before hiring nationals of those countries, closing a loophole that staffing agencies had used to fill warehouse and logistics jobs around Wrocław. Poland’s labour market remains tight, but the raid signals tougher enforcement against employers that fail to regularise third-country staff. The Labour Inspectorate said it would widen coordinated sweeps with immigration authorities in the coming weeks, focusing on e-commerce fulfilment centres and construction sites. For multinational companies the incident is a reminder to audit supply-chain partners and on-site contractors. Foreign workers found without the correct permits face detention and removal, while host employers risk fines of up to PLN 30,000 per person and possible exclusion from public contracts. HR teams should verify that staffing vendors have converted workers from visa-free to full work-permit status and keep copies of permits on file in case of on-site inspections.
Source: Refugee Emergency
