The upper house of the Polish parliament – the Senate – on Wednesday, May 22, without amendments, adopted a government law on extending the legality of stay and assistance to Ukrainians who arrived in Poland after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Previously, this document was adopted by the lower house of the Polish parliament, the Sejm. Now the president must sign it.
This was reported on the Senate website.
The law was supported by 87 senators, four were against it, and one senator abstained.
The Law on Amendments to the Law on Assistance to Citizens of Ukraine in Connection with the Armed Conflict on the Territory of this State and some other laws (government bill) provides for an extension from June 30, 2024 to September 30, 2025 of the period of temporary protection of citizens of Ukraine who were forced as a result of the war leave their country, the report said.
It is noted that the principle of confirming the identity of a citizen of Ukraine when assigning a PESEL number only on the basis of a valid travel document has been introduced.
The deadline for filing applications for the conditional right to practice as a doctor, dentist, nurse and midwife, as well as for the recognition of certificates of a citizen of a country that has terminated the international agreement on their mutual recognition, has been extended by 4 months.
Access to health, family and social benefits, benefits paid by ZUS, and the possibility of staying in collective accommodation facilities have also been expanded.
Amendments to the law adopted in March 2022 provide that social assistance under the “800+” (monthly child benefit in the amount of PLN 800) and “good start” (one-time assistance in the amount of PLN 300) programs will be provided to Ukrainian families in the case if a school-age child goes to a Polish school.
There is also a maximum period of 36 months during which students can take part in additional free Polish language classes.
According to the Law, from July 1, 2024, financing support in the form of accommodation and food for refugees from Ukraine who are in particularly difficult situations will be possible only on the basis of an agreement concluded with the relevant voivode or local government authority acting on the orders of the voivode.
The amendment also provides for the abolition of benefits related to compensation for the costs of stay and food for war refugees borne by owners of private premises, as well as one-time cash assistance to citizens of Ukraine in the amount of 300 zlotys.
The document must come into force before July 1 of this year. As of today, in Poland the preliminary version of the law, which expired on March 4, has been extended until June 30. The EU Council, by its decision, extended temporary protection for displaced persons from Ukraine until September 30, 2025. There are about a million Ukrainian refugees in Poland today.