One mistake and the government takes away the 800+ benefit. Thousands of children are left without payments.

• Eligibility for the 800+ benefit will be linked to professional activity and children's education in a Polish school. With the exception of people with disabilities.
• The right to benefits will be linked to foreigners receiving at least 50% of the minimum wage.
• ZUS will check monthly whether foreigners have been economically active. If not, the benefit will be withheld and the transfer will not be sent.

Extending the legality of stay of Ukrainian citizens who fled the war until March 4, 2026, and tightening the system of receiving benefits by foreigners, including linking 800 plus payments to professional activity - these are some of the provisions of the act adopted by the Sejm.

227 MPs voted for the bill, 194 were against and seven abstained.

Earlier, MPs voted to move the bill to a third reading without returning it to committee and voted against the motion by the Confederation of the Polish Crown parliamentary group to reject the bill in its entirety. They also rejected amendments and minority motions submitted by the opposition.

The PiS club's proposals , including tightening penalties for people illegally crossing the border , introducing penalties for promoting Banderism, extending the minimum period of uninterrupted residence in Poland required for recognizing a foreigner as a Polish citizen from 3 to 10 years, and limiting the possibility of taking out loans and credits by the Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego for the Aid Fund, did not receive support.

The MPs also rejected the minority motions submitted by Klaudia Jachira (KO), who wanted, among other things, to link the 800 plus benefit to the professional activity of not only foreigners living in Poland, but also Polish citizens.

The amendment of the Razem group, which restored the conditions for the payment of benefits to the state from the previous draft law, also did not receive support.

The draft bill amending certain acts to verify the eligibility for family benefits for foreigners and on the conditions for assistance to Ukrainian citizens in connection with the armed conflict in that country was developed after President Karol Nawrocki announced at the end of August that he had not signed the amendment to the act on assistance to Ukrainian citizens. He justified his decision, among other things, by stating that the 800+ benefit should only be available to Ukrainians working in Poland.

The regulation tightens the system for receiving family benefits by foreigners. Eligibility for these benefits will be linked to professional activity and children's education in a Polish school, with exceptions for individuals with disabilities, for example.

Additionally, the right to benefits will be linked to foreigners receiving at least 50% of the minimum wage , which means that in 2025 it will be PLN 2,333 gross.

ZUS will check monthly whether foreigners were economically active . If a foreigner was not active in a given month, the benefit will be withheld and the transfer will not be sent.

ZUS will also verify in the register of the Chief Commander of the Border Guard whether a given foreigner has not left Poland.

To better identify foreigners applying for benefits and their children, a PESEL number will be required. When assigning a PESEL number, the children's residence in Poland will also be verified.

The new regulations also provide for the integration of databases of various institutions, which will allow for more effective monitoring of foreigners' entitlements and eliminate attempts to fraudulently obtain benefits.

Restrictions will also be introduced on the access to healthcare services for adult Ukrainian citizens, including health programs, medical rehabilitation, dental treatment, and drug programs.

According to the law, the current regulations regarding the legality of stay of Ukrainian citizens who fled the war will be extended until March 4, 2026.

The new solutions are to enter into force generally on the day following their publication in the Journal of Laws.

The bill will now go to the Senate.