Poland's fake-student scheme lets employers dodge taxes and fuels pro-Russian links
Investigations reveal that employment agencies in Poland have been enrolling foreign workers as fictitious students to avoid social-security contributions, costing the state millions.
Foreign laborers recruited for Polish meat-processing plants and other sectors have been tricked by agencies into receiving counterfeit student status, a loophole that exempts employers from social-security and health-insurance payments. An investigation identified recurring use of the same schools and universities, some of which exist only on paper while others had their names forged. Central to the operation is Dariusz M., a school director in Sieradz, who allegedly sold enrolments for 750 zloty each, contributing to an estimated loss of nearly six million zloty for the state.
The fraud has left many migrants vulnerable to job termination, legal residency problems, and possible deportation. Inspections by the ZUS and reports from journalists have uncovered forged certificates used to obtain Schengen visas, with some perpetrators linked to pro-Russian organisations and media. The scandal highlights systemic abuse of Poland's labour and immigration rules.
Why it matters
The fraud drains public funds, exploits migrant workers and exposes vulnerabilities in Poland's immigration and labour systems.
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