Poland
Recent changes to migration laws
On 1 June 2025, several acts amending migration law entered into force partially or fully.
The Act of 24 April 2025 amending the Act on Foreigners and certain other acts, entered into force fully on 1 June 2025.
The main purpose of this Act is the transposition into Polish law of the revised EU Blue Card Directive, on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of highly qualified employment.
Therefore, the Act of 24 April 2025 introduced, among others, the following changes:
- The definition of “higher professional qualifications” has been changed to cover both qualifications obtained as a result of higher education and qualifications obtained as a result of professional experience.
- Long-term (over 90 days) and short-term (up to 90 days in 180 days) mobility routes have been introduced for holders of EU Blue Cards to carry out professional activities in Poland or other EU member states.
The Act of 4 April 2025 amending certain acts in order to eliminate irregularities in the visa system of the Republic of Poland, largely came into force on 1 June 2025, although the changes to the single permit rules came into force on 1 July 2025.
- Post-secondary school completion certificates are excluded from the catalogue of documents confirming knowledge of the Polish language for the purposes of meeting one of the requirements for granting a residence permit for a long-term resident of the European Union;
- It is no longer possible to apply for a single permit while in Poland on a student visa, a visa for participation in sports events, cultural or educational exchange programmes, conferences, humanitarian aid programmes or holiday work programmes; or a visa for conducting cultural activities; or a transit or treatment visa; or a long-term visa (type D) or residence permit issued by another Schengen member state. Prospective single permit applicants with these statuses are now required to first obtain a Polish national work visa.
The Acts of 20 March 2025 on the conditions for the admissibility of entrusting work to foreign nationals, and on the labour market and employment services, entered into force on 1 June 2025.
The most important changes in the provisions of these acts:
- The labour market test is no longer required. Henceforth, the district authorities will establish lists of protected professions which are closed to foreign nationals.
- All application procedures will be digitized.
- Employers must upload a copy of the signed employment contract before the job starts.
- Foreign nationals cannot work less than 25 percent of a full-time job. For jobs of less than 20 hours per week, the work permit will be issued for up to one year.
- Work permits will be issued for up to one year only for companies which have been operating for less than one year.
- Employers have new deadlines for submitting online notifications for, e.g., the date a foreign national starts or terminates employment.
- Fines for illegal employment will increase.
United Kingdom
New British citizenship route for Irish nationals launched
The Home Office has announced that a new citizenship route for Irish nationals will open on 22 July 2025, when the British Nationality (Irish Citizens) Act 2024 takes effect.
Irish citizens living in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man will be able to apply for British citizenship under this new route. Applicants will be subject to a more streamlined application process and will not be required to demonstrate knowledge of English language or sit the Life in the UK test.
The registration fee will be 50% cheaper than for other nationalities, at £723 for adults and £607 for children. Children looked after by the local authority will be processed free of charge, as will those who can credibly demonstrate they can’t afford the application fee.
Under the Act, an Irish citizen will be able to register as a British citizen where:
- they can show they have been living in the UK for the previous five years ;
- during the five years, they must have not been absent for a total of more than 450 days;
- during the final year, they must have not been absent for more than 90 days;
- during the five years, they must have not been in breach of the immigration laws;
- they are of good character.
Under nationality birth rights in the Good Friday Agreement, people born in Northern Ireland to a British citizen, Irish citizen or a settled person have the right to hold British and Irish nationality.
