Poland revokes licenses of 146 foreign doctors: most of them are Ukrainians

In Poland, the licenses of 146 doctors who are not EU citizens have been terminated. Most of them are Ukrainian doctors. The reason was that the doctors did not confirm their knowledge of the Polish language at the B1 level.

The corresponding decision was made by the Supreme Medical Council of Poland (Naczelna Rada Lekarska), reports Interia.

It will not be possible to obtain a permit again

The Medical Council stated that the canceled permits are not subject to renewal. In order to return to work, doctors will have to go through the full procedure for confirming their qualifications – from nostrification of the diploma to passing the state medical exam LEK.

According to Polish estimates, there are currently about 3,000 Ukrainian doctors working in the Polish healthcare system. At the same time, almost a third of them have not yet provided a language certificate.

Poland is tightening requirements for foreign doctors

The President of the Supreme Medical Council, Lukasz Jankowski, stated that knowledge of the Polish language is a basic requirement for a doctor’s work.

According to him, the relaxation of the rules after the start of the full-scale war was a forced decision due to a shortage of personnel, but it created risks for the quality of medical care.

“If someone does not speak Polish, they should not work as a doctor in Poland,” Jankowski stressed.

The preferential regime will be in effect until 2029

A discussion is currently underway in Poland regarding the further working conditions of foreign doctors. The country’s Ministry of Health is proposing to extend the possibility of working without a language certificate for another year, but the Supreme Medical Council is criticizing this idea.

Current permits issued under the simplified procedure after the start of the war will remain valid until autumn 2029. By then, foreign doctors must fully confirm their qualifications in accordance with European requirements or stop working in the Polish healthcare system.