What are the facilities for doctors and dentists from Ukraine?

The enacted legislation of 12 March 2022 on assistance to citizens of Ukraine in connection with the armed conflict on the territory of the country provides special facilities for doctors and dentists from Ukraine. 

Facilities for doctors and dentists only apply to: 

• Ukrainian citizens, 
• those who obtained their qualifications as a doctor or dentist outside the territory of the Member States of the European Union (i.e. in Ukraine, but also in other countries outside the EU). 

Doctors and dentists who are third-country nationals and have fled Ukraine will therefore not be able to benefit from this measure. 

Citizens of Ukraine with qualifications as a doctor or dentist obtained outside the EU will be able, as of 24 February 2022, for a period of 28 months, to obtain a permit to practice as a doctor or dentist and be granted a conditional entitlement to practice in Poland.

A citizen of Ukraine will be able to obtain a permit to practise as a doctor or dentist if:

• has full legal capacity;
• his/her state of health permits him/her to pursue the profession of doctor or dentist;
• demonstrates impeccable ethical behaviour and
• holds a diploma in medicine or dentistry from a country other than a Member State of the European Union, attesting at least five years of study. During a declared state of emergency or a state of epidemic, these documents do not need to be legalised or authorised.

In order to obtain a permit to practice as a doctor or dentist in Poland, a citizen of Ukraine meeting the above conditions will have to submit an appropriate application to the Minister of Health. 

The granted permission to practice the profession allows to work only in a medical entity. After undertaking such work, a citizen of Ukraine will be obliged to inform the Minister of Health about this fact within 7 days.