Another government draft amendment to the Act on Assistance to Citizens of Ukraine
The Polish government has presented a draft amendment to the Act on Assistance to Citizens of Ukraine, who have been staying in Poland since the beginning of the Russian invasion on 24 February 2022. The draft is a response to the recent veto by President Karol Nawrocki, who rejected the earlier amendment. Adoption before 1 October 2025 is crucial.
Why did the President veto the previous amendment?
The President opposed, among other things, the idea that Ukrainian citizens who found refuge in Poland could receive social benefits (such as the “800+” child benefit) regardless of whether they were employed in Poland. In his view, financial assistance should be directed primarily to those who are economically active.
Key changes in the new government draft
- Family benefits only for those employed– in order to receive support (primarily the “800+” benefit, i.e. PLN 800 per month), a Ukrainian citizen will be required to work and earn at least half of the minimum wage in Poland. In 2025, the minimum wage is PLN 4666 gross per month (approx. PLN 3511 net). This means the threshold is around PLN 2333 gross per month. An exception will apply to parents caring for children with disabilities.
- Restrictions in access to healthcare– adult Ukrainian citizens will no longer have access to some state-funded services, such as drug programmes, rehabilitation, or certain dental treatments.
- Extension of legal stay– the status of temporary protection introduced under Polish legislation, which allows Ukrainians to live and work legally in Poland, is to be extended until 4 March 2026.
- Stricter control of benefit entitlements– the system will be tightened. State institutions (including the Social Insurance Institution- ZUS- and the Border Guard) will exchange data to verify whether an individual actually meets the conditions for receiving assistance.
What happens if the amendment does not come into force before 1 October 2025?
At present, the stay of Ukrainian citizens in Poland is legal until 30 September 2025 under the current law. Everyone is therefore awaiting the adoption of the amendment, as otherwise there will be a risk of a gap in protection.
The problems may particularly affect:
- those who have not used temporary protection but entered Poland after 24 February 2022 on visas or residence permits, which formally expired but were automatically extended by law. If the amendment is not adopted in time, the stay of these individuals may become illegal;
- Ukrainian citizens running sole proprietorships– if the amendment enters into force only after 30 September, these individuals will temporarily lose the right to conduct business activities legally.
When could the amendment enter into force?
The draft has been adopted by the Council of Ministers and will be submitted to the Sejm (the Polish parliament) in the coming days. The government intends the work to proceed in an expedited procedurę– it is therefore possible that the amendment will be adopted by parliament already in September 2025.
After adoption by the Sejm and the Senate and after being signed by the President, the new provisions will enter into force no earlier than the day following their publication in the Journal of Laws (Poland’s official legal gazette).
Through this amendment, Poland seeks to maintain the system of assistance for Ukrainian citizens, while at the same time linking benefits to employment and introducing additional control mechanisms. The key question remains whether the amendment will be adopted before 1 October 2025, in order to avoid a legal gap in the stay and work rights of some Ukrainians. Stay up to date with our newsletter!
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