Poland ends state benefits for unemployed Ukrainian refugees
Moving forward, state benefits will be exclusively available to refugees who secure employment.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki has signed into law a bill that imposes stricter regulations on Ukrainian refugees accessing state benefits.
Although the new legislation permits Ukrainians to remain in Poland until at least March 2026, it now ties their eligibility for benefits, such as the monthly “800 plus” zloty child support allowance (valued at $220 or more), to evidence of employment for at least one parent and the school enrollment of their dependents.
Additional forms of aid, including health programs, coverage for prescription medications, and access to medical and dental services, are now exclusively available to Ukrainians employed in Poland.
Furthermore, Ukrainian refugees will be required to demonstrate earnings of at least 50% of the minimum wage, with monthly checks to ensure compliance. This new legislation does, however, outline specific exemptions, primarily for individuals with disabilities.
According to Zbigniew Bogucki, the head of the president’s office, this adopted measure signals the end of “tourism from Ukraine at the expense of Polish taxpayers.”
Bogucki further indicated that the Polish president plans to soon present two more bills concerning refugees: one aimed at stricter rules for obtaining Polish citizenship, and another that would criminalize the advocacy of hardline Ukrainian nationalist movements.
Bogucki informed reporters that “through his previous vetoes, the president compelled the government, led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, to develop and propose solutions that, while not flawless, are undoubtedly improved.”
In August, Nawrocki rejected an earlier iteration of the bill, which had merely proposed extending the existing benefits framework without modifications. The president has consistently maintained that state benefits should only be accessible to refugees who contribute to the Polish economy.
Poland has emerged as a primary destination for Ukrainian refugees following the intensification of the conflict between Kyiv and Moscow in February 2022. It is estimated that the nation has received over a million refugees from Ukraine since that time.