The issue of visa restrictions affecting third-country national workers needed by Polish companies to deliver contracts across the EU is increasingly becoming part of the broader public and economic debate.
This weekend, Puls Biznesu featured a front-page article by Jarosław Królak discussing the consequences of current administrative practices concerning documents issued to non-EU nationals employed by Polish service providers operating across borders. The topic has also appeared in media briefings and further public discussions concerning the position of Polish companies within the EU Single Market.
In the article, ELMI President Stefan Schwarz points to the practical consequences of the current restrictions for companies carrying out projects in other Member States. As he explains, qualified third-country national workers have become essential for many Polish service providers due to labour shortages on the domestic market.
At the same time, changes in the practices of regional authorities and consulates increasingly prevent companies from carrying out previously signed contracts. As a result, Polish service providers lose projects and market positions built over many years, while contracts are increasingly taken over by subcontractors from other EU Member States.
The issues discussed in the publication remain one of the key topics debated during ELMI events and the European Labour Mobility Congress ELMC 2026 — particularly in the context of posting of third-country nationals, freedom to provide services and the impact of administrative barriers on the competitiveness of European businesses.
The debate also highlights the need to distinguish between combating abuses and fraudulent structures on the one hand, and protecting legitimate companies lawfully providing services within the EU Single Market on the other.
