Despite initial hopes, the coronavirus turned out to be merciless. It is impossible to enumerate the industries that have been affected by it and determine how long it will take for them to recover. This also applies to the temporary labor market, which has been based mainly on foreign workers for years.
Due to changes in the organization of work in companies, the demand for new employees has stopped for some time, but this is only one part of the problem. The second one concerns the closure of the borders, which meant the inability to enter our country. Currently, from July 6, apart from the border crossings in Korczowa, Hrebenne, Dorohusk and Medyka, a Polish-Ukrainian crossing in Budomierz has also been launched. This is a good sign, but it does not mean a return to the pre-pandemic reality.
What does crossing the Polish-Ukrainian border look like?
In mid-June, border and sanitary controls and the obligation to quarantine at the internal borders of the European Union were abolished. However, entry restrictions and quarantine at external borders remain in force. So who can enter Poland now? It is worth reading the detailed information on the government website:
From the information contained there, we will try to extract those that may seem the most important to most employees from Ukraine. Well, currently they can enter Poland:
- Foreigners who are spouses, children or wards of Polish citizens
- Foreigners with a Pole's Card
- Heads of diplomatic missions and members of the mission's diplomatic and consular staff and members of their families
- Foreigners with the right of permanent or temporary residence in the territory of the Republic of Poland
- Foreigners with the right to work in the territory of the Republic of Poland, i.e. entitled to perform work on the same terms as Polish citizens, having a work permit, a certificate of entry in the register of seasonal work, a declaration on entrusting work to a foreigner in the territory of the Republic of Poland, who:
- perform work in the territory of the Republic of Poland or
- present documents showing that work will begin immediately after crossing the border
- Pupils and students studying in Poland
- Scientists conducting research or development work in Poland.
With or without quarantine?
From July 3, the list of exceptions to the restrictions has been expanded, which means that an increasingly broader category of people can enter Poland without the need to undergo quarantine. What groups of people are currently exempt from it?
The exemption from quarantine also applies to passengers on international flights from airports located in Ukraine.
- Citizens of a Member State of the European Union, a Member State of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) — parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation and their spouses and children
- Students and participants of postgraduate studies, specialist education, PhD students studying in the Republic of Poland
- Scientists conducting research or development work in the Republic of Poland
- Citizens of the Republic of Poland
- Air and sea crews
- Train crews and other essential workers in international rail transport
- Drivers of international transport of goods and persons
- Persons who, in Poland or a neighboring country, perform work related to investments in transmission networks, the oil sector or the liquefied natural gas regasification terminal in Świnoujście.
As we know, coronavirus infections are slowly increasing in our country. A similar situation is happening in Ukraine, where just a few days ago a record number of infections was recorded, with as many as 2,134 cases and 40 deaths. The situation is dynamic and it is worth following the information on the government website, both regarding our country and Ukraine: