The information on this page was collected from public resources.

Is there cash assistance available? Who is eligible? How does someone apply?

Yes. You can receive a one-time financial assistance of PLN 300 per person to cover the most urgent expenses.

You are eligible if you:

  • legally entered the territory of Poland directly from the territory of Ukraine after February 24, 2022;
  • declare your intention to remain in Poland;
  • have a PESEL number.

You can also receive 500 PLN monthly for every child you have below 18 (for that submit an application to ZUS โ€“ Zakล‚ad Ubezpieczeล„ Spoล‚ecznych, it can also be done online).

Family care capital (RKO) can be obtained for a child between the ages of 12 and 35 months. The capital is provided for the second and each subsequent child in the family, if the child lives with one of the parents and remains dependent on him. One of the child's parents decides whether he wants to receive an allowance of PLN 500 for 24 months or PLN 1,000 for 12 months. The total amount of capital is up to 12 thousand zlotys per child.

As a citizen of Ukraine, you can also claim other social benefits:

  • family assistance with allowances;
  • parental assistance;
  • one-time assistance at the birth of a child;
  • care assistance for people with disabilities;
  • assistance in caring for a disabled child;
  • special care assistance for a disabled family member;
  • the "Good Start" benefit, which parents of schoolchildren receive to purchase school supplies and prepare for the new school year.

You can find out more about the conditions for receiving and the amount of family benefits at the link mceclip0.png.

Check for more information here mceclip0.png and here mceclip0.png.

The international religious society, The Lutheran World Federation, offers Ukrainian refugees financial assistance in four Poland cities.

Available locations:

  • Gdansk โ€“ +48 794 324 029;
  • Bielsko-Biaล‚a - +48 731 776 735
  • Zgezh - +48 691 356 977;
  • Bytom - +48 884 720 619.

More information here mceclip0.png.

On July 1, applications for financial assistance for schoolchildren began to be accepted in Poland. The "Dobry start" program is a payment in the amount of 300 zlotys, which parents of schoolchildren receive once an hour to purchase school supplies and prepare for the new school year. Applications are accepted until November 30, but it is worth noting that after submitting the application, money will be transferred to the account within one or two months.

More information here mceclip0.png.

Ukrainians can quickly apply for financial payments through the mZUS application

mZUS is a mobile application from the Social Insurance Office (ZUS). This application is intended for parents and guardians of children who may benefit from family assistance programs. In particular, mZUS is available to Ukrainian immigrants.

From March 2 mceclip0.png, through the mZUS application, Ukrainians can receive payments under the following programs:

  • co-financing the cost of a child's stay in a children's institution for families with children under the age of three;
  • family care capital - 12,000 zlotys for the second and each subsequent child in the family, aged from 12 to 35 months;
  • "Family 500+" - subsidy in the amount of 500 zlotys per month for each child, regardless of parents' income;
  • the "Good Start" benefit.

In the mZUS application you will be able to:

  • check the status of your application and data on the payment of assistance;
  • call the ZUS hotline;
  • book an electronic visit to ZUS;
  • view received messages in your personal account on the PUE ZUS platform;
  • receive notifications about payment application deadlines.

You can download the application through Google Play mceclip0.png and IOS mceclip0.png.

It should be noted that each program has its own application deadlines:

  • co-financing the cost of a child's stay in a children's institution - during the year;
  • family capital of guardianship - during the year;
  • "Family 500+" - from February 1, if they received payments last year. If the application is submitted for the first time - within a year;
  • "Good Start" benefit - from July 1 to November 30.

Ukrainian immigrants in Poland can receive new financial assistance โ€” 710 zlotys for the head of the household and 610 zlotys for each member of the household. The funds are disbursed within the Multipurpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) project of Diakonia Poland and Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe to support displaced people affected by the war.

As stated on the project page, applications can be submitted by:

  • Applicants who arrived in Poland on or after February 24, 2022 and were affected by the war, regardless of their nationality.
  • Applicants who are legally registered in Poland under temporary protection (PESEL registration) or international protection.
  • Households that have not received or are not receiving assistance from Multipurpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) programs such as UNHCR, DKH or other humanitarian organizations. If you have received or are receiving support from social services in Poland, you can still apply.
  • An applicant who is economically vulnerable (household members who do not have access to regular income sufficient to cover the household's minimum standard of living).

Approximately 2,500 households can apply for cash assistance, priority will be given to the most vulnerable families.

To apply, you need:

  1. Make an appointment at the nearest examination center using the link mceclip0.png. If you cannot come to the meeting due to your health, call one of the following numbers: 800 000 232, 800 011 177, 0048918199499.
  2. Come to the inspection center on the selected date and time. When you submit your ID for verification, you will receive a unique verification code.
  3. Using the control code, you need to apply for the program at the link mceclip0.png.

More detailed information about financial assistance can be found on the project page mceclip0.png.

Citizens of Ukraine temporarily living in Poland and unable to pay for housing can ask for help from the Polish authorities. If you have already rented accommodation or are planning to do so, you can apply to participate in the program if you meet certain criteria.

Subsidies help to settle with the landlord, pay utility bills, and pay off administrative fees. You can apply for participation in the program if you rent or own real estate. Documentary proof of the lease or ownership is required.

More information here mceclip0.png.

Financial assistance from the Polish Red Cross for Ukrainians in Poland

Ukrainians in Poznaล„ and Bydgoszcz can receive financial assistance from the Polish Red Cross.

The amount of assistance is 1,420 zlotys per person and another 1,220 zlotys for each additional person in the family (up to five people in the family). Assistance is provided once a month for two months.

  • one person - PLN 1,420/month;
  • a family of two - PLN 2,640/month;
  • a family of three - PLN 3,860/month;
  • family of four - PLN 5,080/month;
  • five or more family members - PLN 6,300/month.

Cash assistance is available to people:

  1. Who left Ukraine after February 24, 2022 (including February 24) due to the war.
  2. Who are currently in Poznaล„ County (Poznaล„) or Bydgoszcz County (Bydgoszcz).
  3. Who did not receive financial assistance from other humanitarian organizations.
  4. The average household income must be equal to or less than PLN 2,450.
  5. Which fall under one of the following categories:
  • a household headed by one person with 1 child (under 18 years old) or an elderly person (aged 60 years and older);
  • a household headed by an elderly person (age 60 and older);
  • household with 2 or more dependents (<18 years, >60 years)
  • a household with one or more persons with disabilities.

To get help, you need to download the AccessRC mobile app, create an account and apply for financial assistance.

Registration deadline:

  • until May 26 in Poznaล„ County (Poznaล„);
  • from May 22 to 31 in Bydgoszcz District (Bydgoszcz).

You can read more about registration for financial assistance on the IFRC website mceclip0.png.

Parents of children attending daycare can receive monthly financial assistance in the amount of 400 zlotys. More information here mceclip0.png.

The Polish Center for International Assistance (PCPM Foundation) provides financial assistance to Ukrainians in Poland.

For this purpose, two assistance programs were created for Ukrainians who came to Poland:

  • no earlier than February 15, 2023;
  • after February 24, 2022.

The first aid program is intended for families and individuals from Ukraine who arrived in Poland no earlier than February 15, 2023, and meet all three of the following criteria:

  • arrived in Poland no earlier than February 15, 2023 and received a PESEL number with UKR status after that date;
  • your family has not yet received financial assistance in the amount of PLN 710/610 for three months from any humanitarian organization in Poland;
  • you or someone from your family belongs to at least one of the vulnerable categories of the population.

As part of this program, you can receive assistance for 3 months for each family member (up to 4 people): PLN 710 for one person and PLN 610 for each other family member.

The second program applies to Ukrainians who came to Poland after February 24, 2022 and meet all three of the following criteria:

  • currently do not receive 3-month cash assistance for basic family needs from any humanitarian organization in Poland (in the amount of PLN 710/610) and have never received 6-month assistance from PCPM;
  • do not receive monthly social assistance from the Polish state (with the exception of the 500+ program or other types of assistance up to PLN 200 per month);
  • belong to one of 3 groups of vulnerable population categories:
  1. elderly people (60+), in whose household (family living with them in Poland) there are no persons aged 18-59;
  2. people with a disability that significantly hinders their daily life activities and access to work, with a maximum of 1 person in the household aged 18-59 (excluding them);
  3. people with chronic diseases or those who need regular treatment that significantly affects their daily life and access to the labor market, with a maximum of 1 person in the household aged 18-59 (excluding them).

Such Ukrainians can receive a monthly allowance of 1,000 zlotys for 6 months per family member.

You can apply for assistance by filling out a special questionnaire.

Questionnaire mceclip0.png.

Source mceclip0.png.

How do I set up a bank account?

You can set a bank account in any bank in Poland. You can check out the different banks' offers here mceclip0.png.

How do I withdraw cash or exchange my currencies?

You can withdraw cash in any ATM or in your bank division. Hryvnia (UAH) can be exchanged in some currency exchange offices (kantor) or in PKO bank. An important point is that one person has a limit exchange of 10,000 hryvnia/day. Exchanges can only be made in person by persons over 18 years of age. The bank does not charge transaction fees.

How do I pay taxes in a country?

If you work based on employment contract (umowa o prace or umowa zlecenie) the taxes are paid directly by your employer. You only need to file annual tax declaration by 30 April for previous year (PIT). You can do it online. The situation is more complicated for private entrepreneurs (dziaล‚alnoล›ฤ‡ gospodarcza), since they must pay all taxes (PIT, VAT, ZUS) themselves calculated on the basis of income for each month. It is advisable to outsource taxes to accountants - widely done in Poland. Accountants speaking Ukrainian and Russian can be found in big cities, and the services can be performed online. More information can be found here mceclip0.png.

If I already work remotely, how should I pay my taxes?

Background

We understand that the background of the given case is the following:

  • A Ukrainian citizen (the โ€œIndividualโ€) lives under temporary protection in Poland and works remotely from Poland for a company located in Ukraine (the โ€œUA Companyโ€);
  • We assume that the Individual is an employee of the UA Company and the UA Company does not have any branch in Poland, which concluded the employment agreement with the Individual;
  • We do not know how for how long the Individual has stayed in Poland, however for the purposes of our response we assume that the stay in Poland is/will be longer than 183 days.

Polish Tax Analysis

  • Please note that below we present Polish tax consequences of the case at hand. It would be recommended that the below conclusions are also confirmed by Ukrainian tax advisors from a Ukrainian tax perspective.
  • Polish tax rules as regards tax residency of individuals are covered by the provisions of the Polish PIT Act (the โ€œPIT Actโ€) as well as specific provisions of the double tax treaty concluded between Poland and Ukraine (the โ€œDTTโ€).
  • Individuals with their place of residence in Poland are taxed on their total income, regardless of where the income is earned (unlimited tax obligation in Poland).
  • According to the Art. 3 par. 1 of the PIT Act, an individual with a place of residence in Poland is a person who:
  1. is physically present in Poland for more than 183 days during a tax year, and/or
  2. has a centre of personal or economic interests in Poland (centre of vital interests).
  • The above rules are applied taking into account the provisions of the relevant double tax treaties, i.e. the DTT in the case at hand.
  • Therefore even, if in the light of Polandโ€™s national legislation, a person passes the residence test for Poland, the appropriate criteria contained in the DTT must be applied to determine what state is that personโ€™s tax residency.
  • The text of the DTT is available at the Polish Ministry of Finance website mceclip0.png.
  • In case an individual passes the tax residency test both in Poland and in Ukraine (based on the domestic Ukrainian tax law โ€“ which cannot be excluded in the case at hand), the tie-breaker rules given in the Art. 4 par. 2 and par. 3 of the DTT should be applied. The first element that indicates tax residence is the place of residence / stay of a given person. If such a place is both in Poland and in Ukraine, the way to determine the resident of which country a given person should be treated as a tax resident is to verify where he/she has a center of vital interests (e.g. immediate family, social life, where he or she undertakes social, cultural, etc. activities, etc.). In the vast majority of cases, this is sufficient to resolve doubts about the tax residence. If, however, it was not possible, the country of habitual residence will be verified in turn, and then citizenship.
  • Taking into account the above, we would assume that the Individual, most likely, changed his/her tax residency to the Polish tax residency after moving to Poland, since:
  1. most likely his/her permanent home after the move to Poland is located only in Poland and, even if it is not the case,
  2. the centre of vital interests of the Individual is now in Poland (however, please note that the centre of vital interest should be assessed on a case by case basis taking into consideration the factors indicated above โ€“ nonetheless, in our view in war time it would probably be unreasonable to claim that the Individual still keeps his/her centre of vital interest in Ukraine) and, even if it is not the case,
  3. the Individual is habitually resident in Poland.
  • Therefore, according to the tie-breaker rules provided in the DTT, we would assume that, the Individual should be treated as a Polish tax resident. This means that the Individual should be taxed in Poland on his/her total income, regardless of where the income is earned (unlimited tax obligation in Poland) and should not be subject to any taxation in Ukraine (however, this should be also confirmed by Ukrainian tax advisors).
  • It should also be noted that the Individualโ€™s work for the UA Company is performed in Poland, since this work is effectively exercised in the territory of Poland. Therefore, the salary received from the UA Company should be subject to taxation only in Poland as the work is exercised in the territory of Poland and the Individual should, most likely, be deemed a Polish tax resident.
  • In such a case PIT advances during 2022 and next years on the salary from the UA Company should have been paid/be paid individually by the Individual to the Polish tax office (starting from the date of the first salary received by the Individual after the move to Poland in 2022).
  • The Individual should calculate and pay the amount of income tax on the salary received from the UA Company individually to the Polish tax office on a monthly basis by the 20th day of the following month.
  • It is caused by the fact that, in the light of Polish tax regulations, there is no tax remitter in the territory of Poland (the UA Company does not act as a Polish tax remitter as it is a foreign company and does not have a branch in Poland).
  • After the end of the tax year, i.e. 31 December 2022, the Individual will be obliged to independently indicate income that was taxable in Poland in his/her annual tax return, which should be submitted to the Polish tax office by 30 April of the following year and pay the due tax resulting from the tax return (if any) by the same date.
How can I send money back to Ukraine?

You can transfer money from Poland to Ukraine via an international transfer or money transfer at a corresponding provider or a bank.

For an international transfer at the bank you have to fill out a special form and usually pay fees. Other special money transfer providers (e.g. Western Union, Moneygram, Wise, Revolut, Paypal) are often a cheaper and faster alternative.

IBOX terminals for replenishing cards of Ukrainian banks will appear in Poland.

With the help of the terminals, Ukrainian refugees in Poland will be able to:

  • Top up accounts on cards of domestic banks;
  • Make loan payments;
  • Pay for utility services;
  • Pay for Internet access and mobile services;
  • Top up electronic wallets and accounts on game accounts;
  • Buy tickets for travel.

More information here mceclip0.png.