The paper said work visa applications fell by more than a quarter in 2024 to 252,000, and slid to 167,000 in the first three quarters of 2025, citing foreign ministry data.
Most visas went to Ukrainian citizens, while access to Poland’s labor market has “practically closed” for candidates from Asia and South America, the report said.
Rzeczpospolita linked the downturn to visa policy changes introduced last year and further tightened by Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s centrist government in response to abuses revealed after a late-term “visa scandal” under the previous right-wing administration.
Growing difficulties in bringing in workers and students are hitting firms that rely on foreign staff to fill vacancies and, in some cases, to expand operations, the paper added.
An October survey by the Association of Business Service Leaders (ABSL) and professional services firm EY found nearly 77 percent of service centers in Poland said problems with relocation and legalizing foreign work and stay had a negative impact on their investments.
(jh/gs)
Source: PAP, Rzeczpospolita