Some foreigners may have problems with vaccinations in Poland

The line for vaccinations is very long. Among those waiting are foreigners living and working in Poland. For the time being, the regulations are very imprecise, although some foreigners have been vaccinated because they are in group 0 due to the nature of their work. The rest must wait their turn.

By March 20, over 5 million vaccinations were performed in Poland, and nearly 1.8 million people received two doses of the vaccine. The others wait their turn. Vaccinations are carried out in stages. The order established in the National Vaccination Program also applies to foreigners, including Ukrainians, who constitute the largest national minority in Poland. Sanpro Synergy – a company specializing in the outsourcing of industrial processes and employing many foreigners – consulted the office of the plenipotentiary for vaccination at the voivodeship of Łódź. 

"We have obtained confirmation that foreigners (with a permanent or temporary residence card), due to their work in Poland, have the right to be vaccinated in accordance with the stages set out in the National Vaccination Program. This means that they are subject to the same schedule as Poles, according to their profession and age," Małgorzata Orłowska, Legalization Manager at Sanpro Synergy from the Impel Group, informed.

Doubts have arisen as to whether the regulations restrict the group of foreigners entitled to vaccinations. They may exclude, for example, foreigners residing in Poland on the basis of residence permits not related to a specific type of work, people residing in Poland on the basis of visas, people awaiting a decision on a residence permit, as well as those covered by international protection and only applying for such a permit. protection. Małgorzata Orłowska advises to wait, perhaps the rules of vaccination for foreigners will be clarified.

“The situation is dynamic and you need to follow the announcements of the Ministry of Health. This applies to everyone interested in vaccination against Covid-19, both Poles, and foreigners. Polish employers hiring foreigners can help them find this information,” she signaled.

(WBJ)