PiS proposes deporting draft-age Ukrainians not legally employed, sparking backlash from government and business groups

PiS announces deportation plan

On 6 August 2026, PiS held a programmatic conference titled "Ku Nowemu Rządowi" (Toward a New Government), timed to the anniversary of President Karol Nawrocki's swearing-in. MEP and party vice-president Tobiasz Bocheński told attendees that one of the first decisions of a future PiS government would be to deport Ukrainian men of conscription age who do not work legally in Poland. He framed the measure as support for Ukraine's war effort, arguing that Central and Eastern Europe cannot be safe unless Ukraine wins. Party leader Jarosław Kaczyński confirmed the proposal to journalists in the Sejm, narrowing the scope to those not legally employed and of conscription age.

This is not a deportation of everyone, only of those who are here, do not work. In any case, do not work legally and are of conscription age. This is help for Ukraine regarding mobilization, because if the other side reportedly plans to conduct mobilization after elections in Russia, then they need to get people from somewhere, and that is a big problem for Ukraine.

"Nielegalny alert" immigration system

Bocheński outlined a broader immigration program called "Nielegalny alert," which would create an integrated system connecting all state offices dealing with foreigners, including MSWiA, voivodeship offices, tax offices, and labor offices. Each foreigner in Poland would receive an individual identification number. After two violations or failure to meet administrative obligations, the deportation process would begin automatically, accompanied by an entry ban to Polish territory. Bocheński described the policy as "restrictive, full, and complementary, with no holes or exceptions." According to naTemat.pl, PiS also plans to build specialized deportation centers to handle the logistics of the operation.

Government backlash

Karolina Gałecka, spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior and Administration under minister Marcin Kierwiński, attacked the proposal on social media. Citing ZUS data, she wrote that over 95% of conscription-age Ukrainian men legally work in Poland and pay taxes. She questioned how deportations would work in practice, asking whether there would be street patrols checking documents, workplace inspections, or apartment raids, and warned that without these people, key sectors of the Polish economy would grind to a halt. Former minister of state assets Jacek Sasin responded sarcastically, questioning whether the economy would stop "without non-working Ukrainians on benefits."

Economic data and business response

Nadia Winiarska, deputy director of the labor department at the Confederation Lewiatan, cited a February 2026 analysis by the Polish Economic Institute showing that Ukrainians in Poland display above-average labor market activity. The employment rate stands at 90% among pre-war immigrants and 75% among refugees, compared to a 57% average across Poland in the third quarter of 2025 according to BAEL data. Winiarska warned that solutions increasing negative sentiment toward Ukrainian citizens could harm both social cohesion and economic growth, noting that foreigners fill labor shortages in many sectors and contribute to economic growth.

Diplomatic concerns

Jan Piekło, former Polish ambassador to Ukraine, told Fakt that considering such a solution at this stage is "a bit absurd." He noted that the election campaign has not yet officially begun and that the proposal requires serious consideration and broad consultations. Piekło cautioned that the announcement could become another point of friction in Warsaw-Kyiv relations.

At this stage, considering such a solution is a bit absurd. The election campaign has not yet started, although some might think otherwise. Such a proposal requires serious reflection and broad consultations.

He added that this is not the right moment for another escalation in relations with Kyiv. The parliamentary elections for which PiS is preparing are scheduled for 2027.