A lot has changed in the 20 years since the law on employment promotion and labour market institutions regulating the employment of foreigners in Poland came into force. Our country is becoming an increasingly attractive place to live - and to work, with a corresponding increase in the number of workers from other countries.

The law needs to be organised and made more realistic, which is why a draft law on the conditions for allowing foreigners to work on the territory of the Republic of Poland has been drafted at the Ministry of the Family, Labour and Social Policy. On Thursday, its first reading was held in the Sejm.

The primary objective is to ensure safety. Firstly, security for Polish workers so that they do not have to fear the loss of employment and unfair competition. Secondly, to workers arriving in Poland from outside its borders to protect them from violation of their rights. Thirdly, to entrepreneurs, who, especially in a low unemployment situation, are facing labour shortages and need clear, friendly and transparent rules for the possibility of using staff from abroad," said Labour Minister Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk at the Sejm.

As Deputy Minister Sebastian Gajewski pointed out, labour migration will become what it should be - safe - thanks to the Law on the conditions of admissibility of employment of foreigners on the territory of the Republic of Poland.

They will supplement the Polish labour market when it is locally needed. For this reason, we are introducing, for example, the institution of a list of occupations in which no work permits will be issued in a given district. These migrations will also become free of abuses, including those that hit the migrants themselves, the Deputy Minister Sebastian Gajewski told the Sejm.

Improving safety

The new regulations aim to reduce the cases of fraudulent work permits used to enter the Schengen area, thereby enhancing security in the labour market. The Law introduces effective tools to combat the fraudulent practice of obtaining and using Polish documents legalising the work of foreigners. The procedures are to be available only to people who want to realistically work in Poland and not for any other purpose.

Electronisation of proceedings

Introducing new functionalities in IT systems for verifying issuance of work permits is one of the objectives of the draft law, which is expected to facilitate the creation of a register of employment contracts. After the introduction of the Act, the employer will be obliged to send a copy of the contract concluded with the foreigner to the office issuing the work permit.

Importantly, penalties for the illegal employment of foreigners are to be increased - such actions will be punishable by a fine of between PLN 3,000 and PLN 50,000 per each case.

Greater integration of foreigners

One of the objectives of the law under way is also to increase the integration of foreigners working in Poland. The draft law includes provisions on integration programmes for foreigners, such as assistance with learning Polish, and gives Labour Offices the competence to establish specialised centres to support foreign workers in the labour market.