Work for foreigners – permits required.
Persons from outside the European Union, EFTA and Switzerland who wish to stay and work in Poland need to obtain a temporary residence permit in Poland and a work permit.
There are also a number of other documents authorising work and residence in Poland. For example, citizens of such Eastern European countries as Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Armenia and Georgia may use a simplified procedure that gives them the possibility to work legally in Poland – a statement on entrusting work to a foreigner. This statement may be issued for a maximum period of 24 months.
It is worth mentioning that citizens of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine do not need a visa to enter Poland. This rule does not apply to workers from Belarus and Armenia.
Still other provisions apply to Ukrainian citizens who arrived in Poland after 24 February 2022 , i.e. after the outbreak of war. Refugees from Ukraine, even if they do not have valid residence permits and want to stay in Poland, receive a PESEL with UKR status when registering their stay at a municipality or city office. Based on the UKR status regulations, they can stay legally in Poland, for the time being until 30.09.2025.
Person with UKR status can legally work on the basis of yet another simplified document – a statement on entrusting work to a Ukrainian citizen. Another option is to set up your own business.
However, in this article we will discuss in detail the issues related to the temporary residence permit in Poland and the work permit in Poland.
What is a temporary residence permit and how do I obtain one?
A temporary residence permit, entitling to a temporary residence card, can be issued for a maximum 3 years.
It is issued not only to people willing to work in Poland, but also for study purposes or to join a family already residing in our country.
There are a number of conditions that must be met in order to obtain a temporary residence permit in Poland. First and foremost, you have to present a legal source of income. You also need to have the financial means to support yourself and other family members, if they have no other income.
Another condition is residence on Polish territory.
Persons who apply for a temporary residence permit to take up work need to present an employment contract or other proof of employment to the office.
The application can only be made in Poland. It is submitted to the relevant provincial office. You should not have to wait longer than 3 months for a decision, but practice shows that this is not always the rule. In the case of a refusal it is worth appealing to the Office for Foreigners.
What is a work permit and how do I obtain one?
A work permit is a document based on which a foreigner may legally start working in Poland. Importantly, the application for a work permit is submitted to the provincial office by the employer who wants to employ a foreigner, not the employee.
The application contains a lot of information, e.g. type of work to be performed, salary, scope of duties.
In the case of a positive decision, the employer provides the foreigner with a work permit together with a work contract (or other employment contract) in his/her language, in the form compliant with the Polish labour law.
Advice from Vitas Group: The specialists working at our work agency are familiar with all the legal nuances of legal residence and work in Poland. If you are interested in any of the jobs published on our website, we will be happy to take care of all the residence and work formalities for you!
Single permit to stay and work in Poland
If you intend to stay in Poland for more than 3 months and the main purpose of your arrival is work, you can apply for a “single residence and work permit in Poland“. Remember, however, that this permit is applied for by you, not by your employer.
This permit is can be applied for by people with a variety of qualifications – low- and mid-level workers as well as highly skilled workers.
It is important to note that the permits discussed above do not automatically renew. Even before the previous permit expires, an application must be made for a temporary residence permit, e.g. another uniform temporary residence and work permit.
If you meet the relevant conditions, you can apply for permits of unlimited duration, such as permanent residence permits or EU long-term resident permits.
Conditions for obtaining a temporary residence permit for Asian workers
Bringing a worker from Asia to Poland is associated with a number of formalities that vary for different countries. It can take up to six months to obtain a visa and all the necessary permits. Despite this, many employers in Poland choose to wait this long for Asian workers, because of their diligence and responsibility.
However, all the legal and organisational requirements for hiring newcomers from Asia are usually beyond the capacity of companies. Therefore, they usually outsource the search, legalisation of residence and work and even the provision of staff accommodation to specialised recruitment agencies.
In the case of Asian workers, it is not possible to use the simplified procedure of statement on entrusting work. In this situation, it is necessary to simply obtain a work permit. This is precisely a type A permit.
In order to obtain a visa at a Polish consulate, applicants usually need to have a valid passport and a work permit to work in Poland arranged by a Polish employer. On the other hand, in order to obtain the work permit itself, the requirements include an employment contract, a certificate of no criminal record and proof of sufficient financial means to live in Poland.
Advice from Vitas Group: We have been professionally involved in bringing in workers from the Philippines, Thailand, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan and beyond for many years. Procedures related to the legalisation of foreigners from Asia and Eastern Europe have no secrets for us. If you need talented and hard-working people to work for your company, just contact us!