The Polish Ministry of the Interior has introduced a draft law that aims to expand temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees and access to family benefits for foreigners, despite the recent veto by the country’s president, Karol Nawrocki, on previous amendments.
This is reported by Business • Media
New Assistance Conditions for Foreigners and Ukrainians
According to the government draft law, foreigners who are not citizens of EU countries will be able to receive state assistance known as “800+” only if the applicant is officially employed in Poland and their children attend Polish educational institutions. Additionally, the assistance must not be the sole source of income for the family. The draft also includes access to a one-time payment at the beginning of the school year, known as “Good Start.” A separate section of the draft law implements the EU Council’s decision to extend temporary protection for Ukrainians fleeing the war until March 4, 2026. The government plans to review the document by the end of September.
“Under the government draft law, foreigners from outside the EU will receive assistance called ‘800+’ only if the applicant is active in the labor market and their children are studying in Poland. The assistance must also not be the sole source of income. The draft law also covers assistance for the start of the school year, known as ‘Good Start.’ Another section implements the EU Council’s decision that extends temporary protection for Ukrainian war refugees until March 4, 2026. The Polish government will consider the proposal by the end of September.”
Economic Impact of Ukrainians and Public Opinion
According to sociological surveys, 53.8% of Poles view the presence of Ukrainians positively for the national economy, while 33.4% hold the opposite opinion. Views on this issue largely depend on political sympathies: among supporters of government parties, 68.1% of respondents believe that Ukrainians have a positive impact, whereas among opposition voters, 52% assess it as negative.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk reported that Poland has joined the club of twenty countries worldwide with a GDP exceeding $1 trillion. The country’s economy demonstrated an annual growth of 3.4% in the second quarter of this year, positioning Poland among the leaders in economic development rates in Europe.
Since the onset of the full-scale war until mid-2025, Ukrainians in Poland have contributed an economic input of approximately $82.15 billion to GDP. During this period, Poland has provided $10.4 billion in assistance to refugees and Ukraine. Accordingly, Ukrainian displaced persons contributed to the growth of Poland’s real GDP by 1.5% in 2022, 2.3% in 2023, and 2.7% in 2024.