Biznes Fakty
EU Blue Card for Foreigners in Poland
President Andrzej Duda has ratified an amendment to the Foreigners Act. This amendment incorporates the EU directive regarding the entry and residency conditions for foreigners seeking employment in high-skill professions.
The Act, which included Senate amendments, was passed by the Sejm on April 24. On Friday, the President’s office confirmed that Andrzej Duda had endorsed the Act.
The modification to the Foreigners Act, along with certain other legislation, aligns Polish law with European Union regulations – chiefly, the directive concerning the entry and residency conditions for third-country nationals employed in high-skill occupations. Denmark and Ireland are not included in the scope of this Act. This pertains, among other matters, to the issuance of the so-called European Union Blue Card to foreign nationals.
The EU Blue Card for highly skilled non-EU workers enables them to work legally, securely, and at competitive salaries, and they are to be treated on equal footing with EU citizens. The EU directive also allows the cardholder to benefit from both short-term and long-term mobility in another EU nation other than the Member State that initially issued the card.
Senate Amendments
The Senate amendments to the legislation were accepted by the Sejm at the end of April. The first amendment stipulates that a specific list of professions will be published in the „Monitor Polski.” If a foreign national possesses three years of experience in a profession included on this list, it will be deemed that they have the requisite professional qualifications. This list will be based on the classification of professions and specialties relevant to the labor market, as published by the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy.
The second amendment, which was recommended for adoption by the committee to the Sejm, expands the obligations of the head of the Office for Foreigners regarding information dissemination. It pertains to the duty to notify other EU member states about the issuance of temporary residence permits aimed at facilitating the long-term mobility of the EU Blue Card holder.
Upon the President’s signature, the Act will take effect on the first day of the month following a 14-day period from its announcement.
