What Now for Doctors from Ukraine Without a Language Certificate?

Rzeczpospolita highlights the precarious situation facing healthcare professionals from outside the European Union who qualified in Poland through simplified procedures enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent refugee influx. The impending deadline for demonstrating Polish language proficiency at a B1 level, as mandated by law, has created significant uncertainty and anxiety among these individuals.

While the requirement for language proficiency aims to ensure patient safety, a last-minute legislative initiative to extend the transition period until May 2027 has thrown the process into disarray. This amendment, introduced just days before the deadline, has not yet completed its legislative journey, leaving medical and nursing chambers in a difficult position regarding the enforcement of existing regulations.

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We have received numerous reports that some doctors who were granted conditional right to practice could not communicate either with the patient or with other staff members. And such a situation can be potentially very dangerous.

The core issue, as Rzeczpospolita understands it, is the potential for legal limbo. Decisions made now based on current law could be challenged in court if the proposed extension is eventually adopted. This legislative uncertainty not only affects the healthcare workers directly but also raises questions about the stability and predictability of Poland's regulatory environment for foreign professionals. The Ministry of Health acknowledges the communication difficulties encountered by some practitioners, emphasizing that while perfect elimination of medical errors is impossible, minimizing risks through measures like language proficiency is crucial for maintaining quality of care.

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In our opinion, it should be at least a B2 level. In no EU country can one enter the medical profession without language skills, as was the case with us until recently, or even with just...