Temporary Protection in Poland
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What is temporary protection
Temporary protection (ochrona czasowa) is a special legal status introduced by an EU Council decision in March 2022 for citizens of Ukraine and certain members of their families who left the country due to the war. The status is confirmed by a PESEL number with UKR status (PESEL UKR) and grants legal residence, access to medical care, education, and the labor market without a separate work permit. The EU Council has once again extended temporary protection — it is currently valid until March 4, 2027.
What changed as of March 5, 2026
On March 5, 2026, a new law came into force (signed by the President on February 19, 2026, published on February 24, 2026) that gradually phases out the special provisions of the separate 2022 law on assistance to Ukrainian citizens and transfers temporary protection into the general system of protection for foreigners, unified with EU rules. This is not a cancellation of protection — the status and PESEL UKR continue to be valid, but the rules for obtaining and confirming the status have changed.
Who can get the status
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Citizens of Ukraine who left the country due to the armed conflict starting February 24, 2022 -
Certain members of their families -
Stateless persons and citizens of third countries who permanently resided in Ukraine before February 24, 2022 and are unable to safely return to their country of origin
PESEL UKR — what it is and how to get it
PESEL UKR is a PESEL number with a special status that confirms temporary protection and serves as the basis for legal residence. For those entering Poland after March 5, 2026 who wish to obtain temporary protection, a new rule applies: the application for a PESEL with UKR status must be filed within 30 days of crossing the Polish border. Failure to meet this condition means temporary protection will not be granted.
Important: if your PESEL UKR number was assigned earlier on the basis of an oral statement/declaration, without presenting a photo ID document, you must confirm your identity with a valid document (a foreign passport or another travel document) by August 31, 2026. If this is not done, as of September 1, 2026 the UKR status will automatically change to NUE status, meaning the loss of rights associated with temporary protection (including the legal basis for stay, if there is no other title). This primarily concerns those who obtained PESEL UKR during the first wave of refugees in 2022.
What rights does temporary protection provide
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Legal residence in the territory of Poland -
Access to the labor market without a separate work permit -
Medical care on the same basis as insured Polish citizens -
Access to school education for children -
Access to certain social programs and benefits, subject to conditions
Extension of already issued certificates
If you already have a certificate confirming temporary protection (zaświadczenie o objęciu ochroną czasową) with an expired validity date — March 4, 2023, September 4, 2023, March 4, 2024, March 4, 2025, or March 4, 2026 — there is no need to apply for a new document: the validity of such certificates has been automatically extended until March 4, 2027 by an EU Council decision. Documents deriving from the status — residence cards and visas whose validity expired starting February 24, 2022 — are extended in the same way.
Employment under temporary protection
An employer hiring a holder of UKR status is required to notify the employment office within 7 days of the start of work. For Ukrainian citizens not covered by temporary protection, a transitional three-year period is provided, during which employment is also possible under a simplified procedure — by notification, without obtaining a separate work permit.
What happens after temporary protection ends
At present, no exact end date for the temporary protection regime has been set — the mechanism remains in effect as long as the corresponding EU Council decision remains in force (currently until March 4, 2027). After the regime ends, status holders will need to transition to another basis for legal residence (a residence card for work, study, family reunification, etc.) — we recommend considering alternative grounds for legalization in advance, so as not to be left without legal status when temporary protection ends.
Until what date is temporary protection valid in Poland?
Currently — until March 4, 2027, according to the latest extension by EU Council decision. The specific further fate of the status depends on future EU decisions.
Do I need to file a new application if I already have PESEL UKR?
Generally, no — if your status is confirmed by a document with a photo, certificates and documents are extended automatically. The exception is if PESEL UKR was obtained earlier without a photo ID document: in that case, you need to confirm your identity by August 31, 2026.
What happens if I leave Poland for more than 30 days?
A prolonged absence from Poland (generally more than 30 days) can lead to automatic loss of temporary protection — before long trips, it's worth checking the current conditions for maintaining the status during a consultation.