Poland will control Ukrainian refugees: monthly checks have been introduced

In Poland, new rules for monitoring social payments for Ukrainians and other foreigners are being implemented, which are used by the 800+ program. According to the draft government, the Social Insurance Fund (ZUS) will verify every month whether recipients of assistance are actively working.

These innovations aim to encourage the employment of foreign citizens and enhance control over social assistance.

Maciej Dushchik, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration in Poland, noted that automatic checks would determine whether the foreigner had been employed in the previous month. In the event of a positive response, the payment will be processed in normal mode. If not, the payment will be canceled. Such rules apply to all categories of foreigners who receive assistance for children, regardless of their length of stay in Poland.

The bill also provides exceptions: parents who care for children with disabilities will be able to continue to receive payments, even if they do not have official work, but only if their children have a confirmed disability decision in Poland. Additionally, the law guarantees access to the labor market for Ukrainians who have arrived as a result of the war, extending their legal stay until March 4, 2026.

The shower emphasized that the new rules combine stimulating employment with control measures. Earlier, some Ukrainians could receive social assistance without being required to verify their labor market activity, which raised concerns among the Polish authorities. The receipt of “800+” will now depend on the work activity of foreigners, and ZUS will automatically verify the data.