Hiring Ukrainian workers in Poland in 2026 after the special act

You can hire a Ukrainian citizen in 2026 legally and without a work permit, but the procedure depends on their document. For a person with UKR status, a notification to the district labour office within 7 days of the start of work is enough; a CUKR card holder does not even need that; and for other Ukrainians staying legally in Poland, a transitional rule applies until 4 March 2029.

What changed after the special act was wound down

Since 5 March 2026 the ustawa z dnia 23 stycznia 2026 r. o wygaszeniu rozwiązań wynikających z ustawy o pomocy obywatelom Ukrainy w związku z konfliktem zbrojnym na terytorium tego państwa oraz o zmianie niektórych innych ustaw (Dz.U. 2026 poz. 203) – the act winding down the special act on assistance to Ukrainian citizens – has been in force. The key points for employers are:

• The notification has moved to another act. The obligation to file a powiadomienie o powierzeniu pracy cudzoziemcowi (notification of entrusting work to a foreigner) is now in art. 5a of the ustawa z dnia 20 marca 2025 r. o warunkach dopuszczalności powierzania pracy cudzoziemcom na terytorium Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej (Act of 20 March 2025 on the conditions for entrusting work to foreigners in Poland). It applies to all foreigners with temporary protection, not just Ukrainians.
• Existing notifications remain valid. Workers for whom a notification was filed before 5 March 2026 can continue working without new notifications.
• Temporary protection has been extended. Council of the EU Implementing Decision 2026/1912 of 30 July 2026, in force since 5 August 2026, extended protection until 4 March 2028, as announced by the Office for Foreigners. Pages that still give 4 March 2027 as the end of temporary protection are out of date.
• A new condition for new arrivals. According to the UdSC, since 5 August 2026 temporary protection has been granted only to people who have fulfilled their military obligations in Ukraine, where applicable after submitting proper confirmation. This restriction does not apply to those who were benefiting from temporary protection in a given EU country before 4 August 2026 and on that day, and who have retained protected status in the same country without a break.

Which document the candidate has and what the employer does

The NUE marker in the PESEL register does not in itself mean that the person is in Poland illegally: it is used for non-EU foreigners who have no other marker, such as UKR or CUKR. Look at the document on the basis of which the person is staying in Poland.

If that document itself gives free access to the labour market, no notification is needed. If the candidate has a karta pobytu (residence card) issued on another basis, check the entry on labour market access and the terms of the permit, and in case of doubt ask the district labour office. We explain how foreigners from other countries are employed in our article on the oświadczenie and the work permit.

The transitional rule (art. 41 of the act winding down the special act) applies for three years from the act’s entry into force. It covers Ukrainian citizens who are staying legally in Poland but do not benefit from temporary protection here. The rule sets neither a date of entry nor a specific basis of stay. The notification is filed under the same art. 5a rules.

How to file the notification: step by step

1. Before the start of work. Ask for the document confirming legal stay and keep a copy in the employee’s file. Sign a contract: district labour offices point out that failing to have a contract with a foreigner is punishable by a fine.
2. Within 7 days of the start of work. In the praca.gov.pl system, file the form “Powiadomienie o powierzeniu pracy cudzoziemcowi (PSZ-PPWPU)” with the powiatowy urząd pracy (district labour office, PUP) competent for the employer’s registered office or place of residence.
3. No fees or attachments. Filing is free of charge. A separate attachment is needed only when the notification is filed by a representative under a power of attorney.
4. If the system is down. The deadline moves to the first working day after the failure has been fixed.
5. If you made a mistake. Corrections are not provided for, so file a new, correct notification.

The district labour office in Biała Podlaska explains the changes in more detail.

When a new notification is needed

Within 7 days of the change, the employer files a new notification if:

• the type of contract has changed, e.g. an umowa zlecenie (civil-law contract of mandate) has been replaced by an umowa o pracę (employment contract);
• the position or type of work has changed, e.g. a packer has become a forklift operator;
• working hours have been reduced, e.g. from full time to half time;
• the monthly or hourly pay rate has been lowered.

Key dates 2026–2028

Why a worker should consider the CUKR card and what it gives them is explained in our article on the CUKR card.

Common employer mistakes

• Missing the deadline. The 7 days run from the day the person actually started work, not from the date the contract was signed.
• No new notification after changes. A move to another position, a different contract, fewer hours or a lower rate require a new notification within 7 days.
• Status not rechecked. UKR status is lost, among other things, after leaving Poland for more than 30 days, after obtaining another residence permit, or because identity was not confirmed. Check documents not only at the hiring stage.
• Relying on outdated dates. Temporary protection currently lasts until 4 March 2028, not 4 March 2027.
• No copy of the document. A copy of the document confirming legal stay must be in the employee’s file.

What fines the employer faces

An employer who fails to file the notification faces a fine (grzywna) of PLN 1,000 to PLN 3,000. The Ministry of the Interior and Administration (MSWiA) explains that this does not in itself make the work of an employee with UKR status illegal; the employer is liable.

The situation is different when the person has no legal basis for their stay or no right to work. That is illegal employment, with other consequences, which we covered in our article on fines for the illegal employment of foreigners.

How STARKO helps

We handle the legalisation of foreign workers and keep workers’ documents in order in case of a PIP (National Labour Inspectorate) inspection. In staff leasing the people are formally employed by STARKO: contracts, wages, ZUS (social security) and paperwork are handled by us, and you receive a single invoice. We put forward the first candidates within a few days. Tell us who you are looking for, and a manager will get back to you within one working day.