The firms rely heavily on foreign drivers from outside the EU. One of them, FreeNow, estimates that around a third of its drivers have licenses from outside the bloc.

Many of the ride companies, based in larger cities, rely on a steady flow of new immigrants from Ukraine, Belarus, and Georgia, as well as from Central Asia and Turkey.

Foreign drivers will only be able to apply for a Polish license after being in the country for 185 days. The application process can last a month.

Overall some 30,000 drivers may be affected, according to a report by the TOR transport consultancy.

A spate of driver attacks on female passengers was the main reason for the new rules, the Infrastructure Ministry told the Polish Press Agency (PAP), and the move has been welcomed by police, who will be able to access data on drivers and check their qualifications.

The law was passed one year ago and so theoretically many of the companies have had time to adjust.

Added to that, the change is coming just as the slower holiday season kicks in, giving companies three months in which to catch up.

The taxi market in Poland is estimated to be worth €1.6 billion. The Institute of Public Finance think tank predicts that the new rules will cause losses to ride-hailing firms, leading to a €170 million drop in VAT receipts for the government.