Poland’s Border Guard confirmed on 23 September that a Ukrainian and a Moldovan detainee were escorted from the guarded foreigners’ centre in Kętrzyn to the Medyka land crossing and Olsztyn-Mazury airport respectively. The Ukrainian had accumulated multiple theft convictions and was found with narcotics at arrest, while the Moldovan had overstayed without any legal basis for residence. Both men were subject to final return decisions after exhausting administrative appeals. The cases illustrate Poland’s accelerating deportation tempo: according to Interior Ministry statistics, 3 900 non-EU nationals have been removed so far in 2026, a 27 % rise on the same period in 2025. Officials attribute the uptick to the MOS digital case-tracking system, which flags violators automatically once criminal or overstay data enter state registers. For employers, the message is to verify criminal-record extracts when sponsoring residence permits; convictions can now trigger automatic revocation under Article 100a of the Foreigners Act. Ukrainian nationals still enjoy temporary protection, but those who commit serious offences lose that status and face immediate return. Mobility managers should also note that deportees receive re-entry bans covering the entire Schengen Area. If an assignee is caught in proceedings, companies must terminate contracts promptly to avoid aiding illegal stay – a criminal offence for managers under the 2026 amendment to the Penal Code. Border Guard spokespeople say further charter removals are planned in October, focusing on overstays uncovered during rail-station sweeps in Warsaw and Poznań.
Source: Komenda Główna Straży Granicznej
