Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski granted amnesty on Friday to some of the country’s illegal immigrants, saying he wanted the country to be open to foreigners.
We want Poland to be an open, hospitable and friendly nation to people looking for a chance for a better life,’ Komorowski said.
The amnesty is to apply to all foreigners who have been living in Poland continuously since December 2007, and those who have arrived since January 2010 and been declined refugee status.
Some 11,000 to 19,000 immigrants will take advantage of the new amnesty, according to the Interior Ministry, including mostly Ukrainians, Vietnamese and Chechens.
The amnesty, which allows foreigners to work in Poland for two years, will give immigrants working on the black labour market a chance to integrate with society, Komorowski said.
The nation was becoming an increasingly desirable destination for immigrants amid its financial growth, Komorowski added.
The amnesty is the third of its kind to be granted in recent years, and is more liberal than previous regulations.
