Poland's New Migration Strategy 2025-2030

Poland's Council of Ministers adopted a resolution outlining a new Migration Strategy for 2025-2030, titled Regain Control, Ensure Security. The framework aims to strengthen national security by regulating and monitoring migration processes more effectively, with implications for employers, foreign professionals, and global mobility providers.

Overview of the strategy

Core objectives

• Regain control: reinforce Poland's autonomy in shaping and governing migration flow
• Ensure security: protect Poland's internal stability and meet national security objectives

Legislative pathway

The government plans to introduce legislation and regulations defining the scope, scale, and nature of migration, including selecting migrants based on economic necessity, skills alignment with labor market gaps, and country of origin.

Eight key areas of focus

Migration policy framework

The strategy is underpinned by foundational values and institutional structures for managing immigration, including clearer objectives and responsibilities across government ministries and streamlined procedures.

Entry and stay

The policy envisions a selective entry system that prioritizes foreign nationals whose skills align with Poland's economic and educational needs, balancing national security with labor and innovation demands.

Protection procedures

While upholding international obligations for asylum and protection, the government aims to prevent misuse of these pathways, with closer scrutiny of asylum processes.

Labor market access

The labor market framework leans toward highly skilled immigration in fields with documented shortages, including:

• A points-based model for work permit applicants
• Clear thresholds around skills, education, and salary levels

Educational migration

The government intends to regulate educational migration more strictly, verifying the authenticity of student intentions and working to prevent fraudulent enrollment schemes.

Integration of foreign nationals

Poland's government plans to strengthen integration policies, encouraging (and in some cases requiring) foreign nationals to adopt Polish language skills and social practices to support long-term cohesion.

Citizenship and repatriation

Paths to Polish citizenship, especially for individuals of Polish descent, will be clarified and potentially accelerated, reflecting continued engagement with the global Polish diaspora.

Polish diaspora

A related initiative focuses on maintaining relationships with the Polish diaspora, encouraging returnees, and simplifying immigration procedures for Polish nationals abroad who wish to repatriate.

Key labor-related changes

Shortage occupations

Poland will actively attract foreign nationals to address critical skill gaps, prioritizing areas such as advanced tech, engineering, and specialized healthcare roles.

Points-based model

A notable change is the shift to a points-based work permit system, where applicants must meet a minimum score based on:

• Education level and field of study
• Relevant work experience and skill sets
• Language proficiency
• Salary levels in line with Polish standards

Selective visa policy and consular autonomy

A more selective visa policy will weigh an applicant's country of origin, specialized skills, and salary benchmarks, with Polish consulates gaining more autonomy and technology to automate applications while verifying documents carefully.

Digitization and fraud prevention

Residency and work authorization processes will be digitized to speed up decisions and reduce fraudulent applications, with authorities aiming to limit the involvement of intermediaries.

Long-term shortage occupations

A long-term deficit occupation list is expected to be a cornerstone of the new policy, giving priority to applicants who combine nationality from an OECD or readmission-agreement country, specialized skills in a shortage occupation, a competitive salary, and employment with a company investing strategically in Poland.

EU Blue Card as primary pathway

The EU Blue Card remains the principal route for highly qualified professionals, keeping Poland aligned with the broader EU approach to attracting global talent.

Employment declarations

Poland may revise its list of countries eligible for the simplified employment declaration route, currently covering Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine.

Employer integration responsibility

Firms employing foreign nationals at scale may be required to help with integration, potentially including financial support for language courses and guidance on local administrative processes.

Potential impact on employers and foreign nationals

• Streamlined path for high-skilled talent, with prioritized processing for sectors facing labor shortages
• Stricter conditions for students, with increased scrutiny of educational intent
• More structured integration programs for foreign nationals, with consequences for non-compliance
• Heightened security and compliance requirements for employers around documentation

How global mobility providers can help

Navigating this kind of new immigration framework often calls for specialized support. Providers like Nestlers Group offer immigration advisory for corporate clients, integration support, and compliance and documentation solutions tailored to evolving regulations. Digital platforms such as xpath.global help by centralizing immigration documentation, status updates, and deadlines, supporting employers managing multiple relocations at once.

Key takeaways

• Poland is pivoting to a controlled, needs-based migration system
• Highly skilled workers will benefit most from streamlined, points-based processes
• Digitization and security measures aim to reduce fraud and expedite legitimate applications
• Employers are expected to play a more active role in helping foreign workers integrate
• Specialist support from global mobility providers can help navigate the transition

Poland's Migration Strategy 2025-2030 marks a significant shift in how employers recruit and retain foreign professionals. Proactive planning, paired with the right professional support, will matter for organizations and foreign nationals aiming for a smooth, compliant move to Poland.

Sources: Government of Poland, Council of Ministers