The Polish government has approved a law on aid to Ukrainians: what will change

The Polish government has approved a law that changes the rules for receiving social assistance for foreigners, including Ukrainians. Now, payments under the ‘800+’, ‘Good Start’ and ‘Active Parents’ programmes will directly depend on legal residence and employment in the country. Find out what conditions Ukrainians must meet to receive support and when the law comes into force

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The Polish government has adopted a new law regulating the rules for providing social assistance to foreigners, including Ukrainians. The document concerns key family support programmes — ‘800+’, ‘Good Start’ and ‘Active Parents’, according to PAP.

Which programmes are affected

The law defines the procedure for receiving payments in three main areas:

▪️ ‘800+’ — monthly support for parents raising children.

▪️ ‘Good Start’ — a one-time payment for school preparation.

▪️ ‘Active Parents’ — assistance for those who combine work and childcare.

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New conditions for receiving payments

According to Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration Marcin Krawczyk, the main criteria will be legal residence and employment in Poland. This means that:

▪️ assistance will be available to foreigners who are officially employed in the country and pay contributions to ZUS;

▪️ an exception is made for parents of children with disabilities — they are eligible for benefits if they have supporting documents;

▪️ children's attendance at Polish schools will be taken into account.

Control over payments

Control over the system will be taken over by ZUS (Social Insurance Institution). Its databases will be used to check contributions in order to prevent abuse and ensure the fair distribution of funds.

When it comes into force

The adopted law should come into force by 1 October 2025. Therefore, it is important for Ukrainians and other foreigners who are eligible for payments to check their status, official employment and documents confirming their legal residence in advance.

If the payments are canceled, families where parents have not yet found permanent work or are in the process of legalizing their status will be particularly vulnerable. In such situations, it is especially important to have qualified legal assistance, which can be easily obtained by contacting the migration lawyers at Visit Ukraine. Our specialists will help you with paperwork, extending your legal stay, and protecting your rights abroad.

Reminder! The United States has updated its rules for issuing non-immigrant visas, and the changes directly affect Ukrainians. Now, applications can only be submitted at the US consulates in Warsaw and Krakow, which complicates the process and increases waiting times. Find out what new requirements have been introduced and how they will affect visa applications.

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