Today Poland receives a really large flow of foreigners. However, most of them do not come to the country for tourist purposes. Many come to Poland to obtain European residence and to start working. It goes without saying that foreigners cannot just start working officially, because they need to have a permit.
It would seem that there is nothing complicated about it - an experienced immigrant who has already gone through all the difficulties may think so. For a newcomer, however, the topic of work authorization or changing employers can seem quite complicated. If you want to know more about the types of work permits and their features, you have come to the right place!
Work permit in Poland – what is it?
A work permit in Poland is a general term for documents that grant the right to work in Poland. Is it obligatory to have one? In fact, yes, because unofficial employment threatens trouble for both the employee and the employer.
For example, a foreigner who works illegally may be fined up to 5 thousand PLN and obliged to leave the territory of Poland as soon as possible. Therefore, it is not recommended to fall for the offers of some employers (who want to save money on ZUS contributions) to work illegally.
Main types of work permits in Poland
As we have already said, a work permit in Poland is a general concept, as it comes in different types. There are only four of them:
- Application for the intention to employ a foreigner (Oświadczenie). This document is valid for up to 24 months and applies to all types of non-seasonal work. The advantage is that it is easy to obtain another such document after completion.
- Single permit or working residence card. This is quite a popular and favorable option for foreigners, because such a permit provides a full-fledged residence permit in Poland. It is usually issued for a period of 3 or 5 years. To obtain it you need to be in Poland in person.
- Permit from the voivode. A separate document that is issued to foreigners for up to three years. It allows you to work in different types of jobs.
- Permit for seasonal work. In Poland there are a number of jobs that are considered seasonal. Usually it is related to agriculture, harvesting and so on. A seasonal work permit is issued for a period of up to 270 days.
The type of work permit you choose depends primarily on your goals and the type of job you plan to take.
Who needs to have a work permit?
Not all persons need to obtain a special permit for employment in Poland. Some categories of persons have free access to the labor market. Here are those who are not obliged to obtain such a document:
- Polish citizens.
- Foreigners who have a residence permit or a Pole card.
- Students who have graduated from local higher education institutions.
- Foreigners who live in Poland on the basis of a humanitarian visa.
This is not a complete list of persons who do not need to obtain a work permit. In fact, there are many more.
Common way to obtain a work permit in 2024
Now you know that there are four types of work permits and a list of people who may not bother with this document. However, if you are obliged to obtain this document for official employment, it is necessary to learn how to do it correctly. We suggest that you consider the most popular way of obtaining a work permit today.
- Find a vacancy. You can still look for a potential job even when you are in your home country. Usually, job search services such as Olx, Praca, Jobs and others are used in Poland.
- Make an agreement with the employer. Contact or call the employer, find out all the specifics of the job and agree on employment.
- Pass your details. Next, it is necessary to send the employer all the necessary personal data, which are submitted to the Voivode.
- The employer forwards the document. After a positive response from the higher authorities has come, the employer sends the future employee a work permit.
If we are talking about a work visa, the process is different. We told you more about how to get a working residence card in our article earlier.
