In February 2026, the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), in cooperation with the Brussels School of Governance, published the working paper “Transitioning to what? Legal statuses available after temporary protection for people displaced from Ukraine, Paper 3: Poland and Italy”.
The paper notes that Poland hosts one of the largest numbers of displaced Ukrainians, with around 1.5 million people at its peak, and outlines the different statuses available to them, namely the CUKR bridging permit, international protection (whose recognition rate is expected to decline), work-based residence permits, study-based residence permits, family reunification permits, and humanitarian and tolerated stay. All these options could, in principle, allow residence beyond temporary protection.
The report notes that, while legal pathways exist, a considerable share of Ukrainian beneficiaries risk exclusion once temporary protection expires, particularly those without stable, formal employment, who are least likely to qualify for a permit. In particular, it highlights low-income and precariously employed Ukrainian nationals, primary caregivers and single mothers, elderly persons and individuals with disabilities, unaccompanied minors and youth turning 18, and unregistered or deregistered individuals.
The paper concludes by recommending that the transition should remain a shared European responsibility and that authorities should:
- Strengthen information provision and counselling
- Simplify administrative procedures
- Maintain flexibility for vulnerable groups
- Promote self-reliance and integration before 2027
- Closely monitor permit uptake during 2026 to identify gaps
- Guarantee continuity of essential services.
- European Council on Refugees and Exiles (18 February, 2026), [ECRE Working Papers: Transitioning out of Temporary Protection],