At noon on 27 October the Ministry of the Interior and Administration (MSWiA) opened a televised policy debate titled “Challenges and Directions of Change in Citizenship and Repatriation,” chaired by Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński with deputy ministers Magdalena Roguska and Maciej Duszczyk. The round-table, which included academics and NGOs, is the first step toward drafting amendments that could streamline naturalisation for long-term residents and modernise Poland’s 1997 Repatriation Act.
Key proposals under discussion include introducing an online points-based citizenship route—modelled loosely on Canada’s Express Entry—for high-skill migrants; shortening the residency requirement for foreign graduates of Polish universities from three to two years; and expanding financial grants that help ethnic Poles from Kazakhstan, Belarus and Ukraine resettle in provincial towns facing labour shortages.
For employers the biggest potential game-changer is a plan to let foreign workers count legally remote work performed for a Polish entity toward residency days, recognising the rise of hybrid assignments. HR leaders from multinationals such as Intel and Ikea, present at the event, welcomed the idea but cautioned that digital nomads still need clarity on social-security contributions.
The ministry also signalled that biometric e-IDs for repatriates will be integrated into the mObywatel super-app by mid-2026, which would allow digital signing of employment contracts and speed up access to public services. A formal draft law is expected to be released for public consultation in Q1 2026.
Global-mobility managers should track this process closely: if adopted, the reforms could ease permanent-residence pathways for valued non-EU employees and reduce administrative touch-points for corporate immigration teams.
Key proposals under discussion include introducing an online points-based citizenship route—modelled loosely on Canada’s Express Entry—for high-skill migrants; shortening the residency requirement for foreign graduates of Polish universities from three to two years; and expanding financial grants that help ethnic Poles from Kazakhstan, Belarus and Ukraine resettle in provincial towns facing labour shortages.
For employers the biggest potential game-changer is a plan to let foreign workers count legally remote work performed for a Polish entity toward residency days, recognising the rise of hybrid assignments. HR leaders from multinationals such as Intel and Ikea, present at the event, welcomed the idea but cautioned that digital nomads still need clarity on social-security contributions.
The ministry also signalled that biometric e-IDs for repatriates will be integrated into the mObywatel super-app by mid-2026, which would allow digital signing of employment contracts and speed up access to public services. A formal draft law is expected to be released for public consultation in Q1 2026.
Global-mobility managers should track this process closely: if adopted, the reforms could ease permanent-residence pathways for valued non-EU employees and reduce administrative touch-points for corporate immigration teams.
