From 5 March 2026, new regulations concerning Ukrainian citizens – the phasing out of the so-called special act on assistance to Ukrainian citizens

On Thursday, 19 February 2026, the President of the Republic of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, signed the Act on the termination of solutions resulting from the Act on Assistance to Ukrainian Citizens in connection with the armed conflict on the territory of that state, as well as on the amendment of certain other acts. Let us recall that the Act on Assistance to Ukrainian Citizens in connection with the armed conflict on the territory of that state has been in force since the beginning of 2022. The new act ends the functioning of the so-called Ukrainian special act, the provisions of which simplified the rules of residence, employment, access to social benefits and education for Ukrainian citizens who arrived in Poland after 24 February 2022 (and, in the case of employment, also for those who were staying in Poland before the outbreak of the conflict).

Pursuant to the provisions of the new act, until 4 March 2027, the following are extended:

• temporary protection for Ukrainian citizens and their family members holding a PESEL number with UKR status,
• the validity of documents of Ukrainian citizens: national visas, temporary residence permits, residence cards, Polish identity documents for foreigners, documents marked “consent for tolerated stay”, as well as rights resulting from visa-free travel,
• the suspension of deadlines for handling residence-related matters by voivodeship offices.

The act introduces changes to the conditions for obtaining and maintaining temporary protection after 4 March 2026. In order to obtain a PESEL number with UKR status, it will be necessary to submit an application for a PESEL number within 30 days of entry into Poland. Failure to register may result in the loss of temporary protection status.

In turn, persons who obtained a PESEL number with UKR status without presenting a passport or another identity document with a photograph must update their data by 31 August 2026. Failure to update will result in the loss of temporary protection as of 1 September 2026 and a change of status to “NUE”, and thus the loss of the right of residence.

An important change concerns the possibility of performing work under simplified rules, i.e. on the basis of a notification of entrusting work to a Ukrainian citizen. Ukrainian citizens covered by temporary protection (holding a PESEL number with UKR status) will still be able to work on the basis of notifications of entrusting work to a Ukrainian citizen. In turn, Ukrainian citizens legally staying in the territory of the Republic of Poland but not holding UKR status will be able to work under the existing rules until 4 March 2029. The act provides for a three-year transitional period, during which Ukrainian citizens legally residing in Poland may take up and continue work on the basis of a notification. After the expiry of this period, Ukrainian citizens not covered by temporary protection will be required to hold another title entitling them to perform work.

The act introduces a fine for failure to fulfil the obligation to submit a notification, in the amount of 1000 PLN to 3000 PLN.

The provisions concerning notifications are to be transferred from the so-called Ukrainian special act to the Act on the conditions of admissibility of entrusting work to foreigners in the territory of the Republic of Poland, and the notification obligation may also cover persons who were previously exempt from the obligation to hold a work permit under other regulations.

As regards conducting business activity by Ukrainian citizens in any form, as of 5 March 2026, there will be a return to the general rules resulting from the Act on the principles of participation of foreign entrepreneurs and other foreign persons in economic activity in the territory of the Republic of Poland. Persons holding temporary protection status in Poland will still be able to establish new sole proprietorships and conduct them under the same rules as Polish citizens.

In turn, persons not covered by temporary protection will be able to continue operating businesses established and conducted before 5 March 2026, but after that date they will not be able to register new sole proprietorships unless they are entitled to do so on the basis of their residence title, including, inter alia, a permanent residence permit, an EU long-term resident permit, an EU Blue Card or several types of temporary residence permits.

It should also be noted that Ukrainian citizens covered by temporary protection may apply for temporary residence permits. We remind you that as of this year, Ukrainian citizens holding UKR status will be able to apply for the issuance of a CUKR residence card.

This card is to be issued for a period of three years and is to provide its holders with a wide range of rights, including free access to the labour market, the possibility of conducting business activity under the same rules as Polish citizens, and the right to travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, analogously to residence cards issued in connection with the granting of a residence permit.

The period of stay on the basis of a CUKR card is also to be counted towards the period required to obtain an EU long-term resident permit. Obtaining a CUKR card will be possible provided that the following conditions are met:

• holding UKR status on 4 June 2025,
• maintaining this status on the date of submission of the application for the residence card,
• uninterrupted possession of UKR status for at least 365 days.

Important! Obtaining a CUKR card will be equivalent to the loss of UKR status.

Applications for the issuance of a CUKR card will be accepted only in electronic form, via the MOS system. This functionality has not yet been launched.