Polish President signs CUKR law, which gives Ukrainians 3 more years of residence

The President of Poland has signed a law that changes the rules of stay of Ukrainian citizens in the country. The document provides for the possibility of transitioning from the temporary protection status granted to Ukrainian refugees due to the war to a temporary residence permit for a period of three years (the so-called CUKR status), polskieradio reports.

As Maciej Duszczyk, former Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Interior and Administration, explained on Polish Radio, after the change of status, Ukrainian citizens will be legally equated with other foreigners legally residing in Poland. According to him, under the new law, Ukrainians will retain the right to work, study or receive social assistance, as these rights are directly related to legal residence in the country.

The new rules should encourage Ukrainians who are currently staying in Poland on the basis of war refugee status to choose a form of residence depending on their needs, in particular for employment or study. It will be possible to apply for a change of status in January or early February, even before the current temporary protection mechanism expires on March 6 next year and will not be extended.

The procedure has also been simplified: you no longer need to apply in person to institutions - just fill out an online form.

As a reminder, as the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, in September, Polish President Karol Nawrocki signed a new law on assistance to Ukrainian refugees, which extends their legal status until March 2026.