A work permit in Poland is an employment authorisation, not a visa or a residence permit. For an employer hiring a non-EU national, the practical task is to align the worker’s right to stay, the correct work authorisation and the actual contract before the first working day. A permit for the wrong employer or role does not resolve that mismatch.
CGO Legal assists employers, HR teams and foreign businesses with work-permit applications, document preparation and employment-compliance questions. This guide explains work permit processing times in Poland in 2026, government fees and the steps before hiring or posting staff. The five-situation table below distinguishes a first application, continued employment and a change of employer.
Processing-time and pending-application sections updated: 6 October 2026. Other core legal references were checked on 7 September 2026. The framework below reflects the Act of 20 March 2025, effective from 1 June 2025, and the work-permit application fees effective from 1 December 2025. Older proceedings and individual residence categories require a separate assessment.
Work permit in Poland: quick answer
For the standard employer-led route, the employer applies electronically through praca.gov.pl to the competent voivode. New applications no longer require the former labour market test (informacja starosty). The worker must also have a stay basis that permits the intended work: submitting an application does not, by itself, authorise employment.
Government application fees are PLN 200 for work of up to three months, PLN 400 for a longer period, and PLN 800 for posting a foreign employee to Poland. These are official charges, not CGO Legal’s fees. Processing time and the available route depend on the case. There is no verified nationwide average waiting time in this guide. The general one-month or two-month administrative deadlines are not a guaranteed start date; visa or residence steps may add a separate dependency. See the processing-time section before scheduling work.
Already have a candidate? Tell us the employing entity, nationality, proposed role and intended start date. If you are an individual, identify whether you already have a job offer so we can understand the legal question.
Who needs a Polish work permit?
Not every foreign national needs an employer-sponsored permit. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens generally have access to the Polish labour market without one. Certain non-EU nationals also have exemptions or a different basis for working. Nationality is therefore only the starting point: the residence document, purpose of stay, personal status and proposed employment all matter.
For a non-EU worker who does not qualify for an exemption, an employer may need a work permit or another applicable legalisation route. A registered declaration, seasonal permit, temporary residence and work permit, or EU Blue Card is not interchangeable with an ordinary employer-led application. Each has its own scope and eligibility conditions.
An existing residence card, a permit obtained for a previous employer or a visa issued by another Schengen state should not be treated as automatic permission to take this particular job in Poland. Check the document and applicable conditions before assigning work, rather than discovering a restriction during onboarding.
Who we advise
| Your situation | The legal question to resolve |
|---|---|
| Polish employer or HR team hiring a non-EU candidate | Which authorisation is required, whether the candidate’s stay permits the work, and how the proposed contract matches the application. |
| Foreign company posting staff to a Polish project | Whether a posting route or exemption applies, which entity files, and how immigration and posting obligations interact. |
| International group or recruitment agency managing multiple hires | How to coordinate worker-specific files, the actual employer or user undertaking, start dates and post-approval obligations. |
For example, a Polish subsidiary recruiting an engineer directly and an overseas parent sending its existing engineer to a Polish customer may need different procedures despite using the same job title. The employment structure should determine the application, not the label used in the recruitment brief.
Work permit types: Type A, Type B and posting routes
Search results and older decisions still refer to Type A, B, C, D and E. Those terms help identify the kind of case, but new applications should be matched to the current statutory categories and forms. Do not copy a pre-June 2025 checklist simply because its permit letter looks familiar.
| Route | Typical situation | Key distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Work for a Polish entity — commonly searched as Type A | The foreign national contracts with a Polish employing entity. | The authorisation specifies the employer, worker and employment conditions. |
| Performance of specified corporate functions — formerly Type B | A management-board role, specified partnership function or commercial proxy role. | The function, presence in Poland and the company’s circumstances need their own assessment. |
| Posting by a foreign employer — formerly C, D or E depending on the arrangement | An existing employee is sent by a foreign entity to perform work in Poland. | The posting structure, employment relationship and Polish assignment must meet the relevant requirements. |
| Other employment or residence routes | A declaration, seasonal permit, single permit or EU Blue Card may be relevant. | These are separate procedures, not alternative names for an ordinary work permit. |
Work permit Type A: direct employment by a Polish entity
For direct hiring, the proposed remuneration must satisfy both the applicable minimum-wage requirement and the requirement relating to comparable work. The contract type, hours and actual duties need to agree with the application. Article 30 of the current Act also sets working-time conditions for this route; a low-hours arrangement should be checked before filing.
The general statutory ceiling for a work permit is three years, but it is not an entitlement to a three-year decision. For work for a Polish entity, Article 34 provides a maximum of one year where the business has operated for less than a year or the work falls within the specified half-time or 20-hour threshold. Temporary agency work has additional duration constraints. A newly incorporated company should therefore not build its staffing budget around a guaranteed three-year permit.
Work permit Type B: board members and corporate functions
Holding shares in a Polish company does not, by itself, authorise work or residence. A foreign director’s corporate function, other operational duties and time spent in Poland should be analysed separately. A board appointment and an employment contract for a different role may raise different authorisation questions.
The corporate-function route includes conditions relating to the company’s financial and employment position, or evidence of resources and activity supporting future fulfilment of the statutory criteria. An early-stage company should prepare its supporting evidence rather than assume that registration in the KRS is enough. See our company registration guide for the separate incorporation workstream.
Posting staff to Poland: former Types C, D and E
The foreign employer must identify the actual assignment, the employee’s existing employment relationship and the connection with the Polish recipient. Intra-group work, an export service and other posting arrangements require careful classification; an ordinary business trip or a visa label is not a substitute for that assessment.
Work authorisation and labour-law posting compliance are separate checks. Depending on the arrangement, obligations towards the National Labour Inspectorate (PIP), including the posting declaration and designated contact person, may also apply. Do not assume that obtaining a work permit completes the posting file.
Is the labour market test still required?
Not for new applications under the framework effective from 1 June 2025. The former requirement to obtain the starosta’s information about the availability of local candidates was removed. Preparing an old-style job-offer search solely to obtain that document adds a step that is no longer part of the new procedure.
This does not mean that every job is unrestricted. The current Act allows local lists restricting certain occupations, so the intended occupation and location still need checking. Qualifications required for a regulated profession also remain relevant: abolition of the labour market test does not abolish professional licensing.
Older files require a transition check. Article 102 retains the previous rules for work-permit proceedings started under the former Act and not finally decided before the new Act took effect. Article 103 addresses permits issued under the former rules. The filing date and status of an existing decision matter; the reform should not be read as automatically cancelling every older permit.
Official explanation: Biznes.gov.pl — changes to the legalisation of foreign nationals’ work and residence.
Documents to prepare before applying
A useful starting file contains the documents that explain who employs the worker, what the worker will actually do and on what stay basis the work can be performed. Exact attachments depend on the route and the competent authority; the list below is a preparation checklist, not a guarantee that no further evidence will be requested.
- Employer details: registration details, authorised signatories, business activity and evidence relevant to the selected route.
- Worker details: identity and travel-document information, current stay basis if applicable, and any existing employment authorisation.
- Job terms: duties, place of work, remuneration, working time, contract type and intended employment period.
- Route-specific evidence: for example, regulated-profession qualifications, corporate-function evidence or documents establishing the overseas employment and posting arrangement.
- Filing documents: required declarations, payment confirmation, translations where required and power of attorney if a representative will submit the case.
Inconsistencies between the offer letter, application and eventual contract create avoidable problems. Before filing, confirm that HR and the signatory are working from the same version. For contract drafting issues, see our guide to the employment contract in Poland.
How to apply for a work permit in Poland: employer process
- Check eligibility and the residence position. Identify whether a permit, exemption or another route applies. Review the actual stay document rather than relying on the candidate’s description of it.
- Set the employment structure. Confirm the legal employer, the role, remuneration and hours. For an agency or posting, identify the user undertaking or Polish recipient before assembling the application.
- Prepare and reconcile the documents. Check worker details, corporate records, supporting evidence, translations and representation. Resolve contradictions before they become requests from the authority.
- Submit electronically through praca.gov.pl. The employer-led application goes to the competent authority through the designated system. Retain the filing confirmation and monitor electronic correspondence.
- Respond to the authority and check the decision. Provide any requested information within the stated deadline. On approval, verify the employer, worker, conditions and dates rather than treating receipt of a decision as the end of the review.
- Complete onboarding and compliance handover. Confirm the right to stay and work, execute the appropriate contract, fulfil the applicable contract-upload requirement and assign responsibility for later notifications and expiry monitoring.
A representative can assist with the employer’s filing, but this does not remove the worker’s separate visa or residence requirements. Travel, consular attendance or biometric steps may still be necessary in the relevant procedure. We distinguish those dependencies at the outset rather than promise that every aspect can be handled remotely.
How long does a work permit take in Poland in 2026?
There is no reliable nationwide promise that every work permit will be issued in 30 days. Statutory administrative time limits should not be confused with a guaranteed end-to-end recruitment timeline. The authority’s workload, completeness of the file and any further evidence requests affect the case; visa or residence steps may add a separate dependency.
For project planning, separate document preparation, the authority’s decision, any necessary immigration steps and onboarding. Agreeing a commercial start date does not accelerate the authority or legalise an early start. A pending application alone is not a general right to work; any continuation entitlement must be checked against the relevant rules and the worker’s circumstances.
For a group of hires, use a worker-by-worker tracker rather than a single “permits submitted” milestone. Record the relevant authority, filing confirmation, response deadlines, document expiry dates and whether each person can lawfully start. This also helps avoid a project-wide delay being discovered only when staff are due on site.
Work permit, visa or residence permit: which timeline applies?
Start by identifying the application, not by comparing waiting-time stories online. These are different procedures, handled by different authorities. A work-permit decision does not replace permission to enter or stay in Poland.
| Procedure | Who applies and what it resolves | What must still be checked |
|---|---|---|
| Employer-led work permit | The employing entity applies to the competent voivode for authorisation of the specified work. | The worker also needs a lawful stay basis compatible with that work. |
| National work visa | The foreign national follows the relevant consular visa procedure. | Appointment availability and visa processing are separate from the employer’s work-permit case. |
| Temporary residence and work permit | The foreign national applies under a separate residence procedure, which combines residence and specified work rights if granted. | Do not apply the ordinary employer-led work-permit timeline automatically to a residence case. Check its specific rules and any entitlement to work while waiting. |
Statutory deadlines versus actual waiting times
Under the general rules in Articles 35 and 36 of the Code of Administrative Procedure (KPA), matters should be handled without unnecessary delay. A case requiring an explanatory investigation should generally be resolved within one month, and a particularly complex case within two months from commencement of the proceedings. Special provisions may set different rules. These are legal deadlines, not measured averages or a promise of a decision 30 or 60 calendar days after uploading documents.
Article 35 also excludes specified periods from the calculation, including certain procedural time limits, suspension of proceedings, mediation and delays attributable to the party or circumstances beyond the authority’s control. Where Article 36 applies, the authority must explain the delay, set a new deadline and inform the party about the right to lodge a formal reminder. Assess the actual file before deciding that a deadline has expired.
Waiting times in Warsaw and Łódź: what can be verified?
The official sources checked on 6 October 2026 do not provide a comparable, verified median for the ordinary employer-led work-permit procedure in both regions. We therefore do not label either region as taking a fixed number of weeks or months. An individual decision date is not a reliable average for a different application.
| Authority and source | What the source establishes | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Mazowieckie, including Warsaw | The authority explains that case volume, document requests and checks can extend proceedings. Its instructions cover electronic filing and government fees. | Use the reference number and the authority’s correspondence to assess your file. Do not read the general instructions as a guaranteed appointment or decision date. |
| Łódzkie, including Łódź | The authority identifies the employer as applicant, explains its territorial competence and requires electronic work-permit applications through praca.gov.pl. | Confirm that this authority is competent for your employer and route, then check the filing receipt and any requests for documents. The instruction is not a published average processing time. |
For the ordinary route involving a Polish employer, competence generally follows the employer’s registered office or permanent residence, not whichever office appears to have a shorter queue. Other routes need their own competence check. Do not switch authorities merely to chase an anecdotal waiting time.
Can the employee start or continue working while the application is pending?
A filing receipt is not a general permission to work. Check both the right to stay and the right to perform the proposed work. The following table identifies the questions to resolve; it does not replace an assessment of the worker’s documents and applicable exemptions.
| Situation | Can work start or continue? | Documents and conditions to check |
|---|---|---|
| First application; the candidate is outside Poland | Not merely because the employer has applied. An offer or planned start date does not authorise work or entry. | The work authorisation or exemption, applicable entry requirements and stay basis, and the intended employer, role and contract. |
| First application; the candidate is already in Poland | Lawful presence alone is insufficient. Work may start only if an existing entitlement covers the proposed employment or another applicable legal route permits it. | The visa or residence basis, restrictions on work, any exemption and the actual employment conditions. |
| Continued work for the same employer after the current permit expires | It may be possible under Article 21(1), if the employer applied during the permit’s validity for continued work in the same position or type of work, with no formal defects or with defects corrected on time. | The existing permit, dated filing confirmation, any request to correct defects and proof of timely correction. Work must remain on the conditions of the existing permit; the stay basis must also remain lawful and compatible with work. |
| Moving to a different employer | Do not transfer the former employer’s permit or continuation entitlement automatically to the new job. A separate authorisation, a permitted change procedure or an applicable exemption may be needed. | Which entity the existing authorisation covers, the new role and terms, and any status-specific rules such as those affecting EU Blue Card holders. |
| Waiting for a residence decision | A timely residence application can protect lawful stay without automatically authorising work. Some applicants can continue working under specific statutory rules. | The residence application category and timing, previous right to work, required formalities and whether the proposed work satisfies the relevant continuation or exemption conditions. |
For continuation under Article 21(1) of the Act of 20 March 2025, qualifying work remains lawful from expiry of the existing permit until the decision on the next work permit becomes final. Periods of suspension requested by the party are excluded. Article 21(3) extends the continuation mechanism to specified residence applications, not every residence application. A valid basis of stay compatible with employment must be assessed separately.
The Office for Foreigners’ MOS explanation of working during a residence procedure distinguishes lawful stay from work rights and describes the relevant categories. Do not treat a residence-application confirmation, or a stamp where applicable, as unrestricted access to the labour market.
Why is the application delayed, and what can the employer do?
- Confirm the procedure and applicant. An ordinary work-permit application is the employer’s case. A residence application is a different procedure; its reference number and correspondence do not establish the status of the employer’s application.
- Check the electronic filing receipt. Verify the employer’s account, application reference, attachments, fee evidence and representative’s authority. Saving a draft is not submitting an application.
- Review every request and notice. Record the date of service, the deadline, the requested documents and proof of the response. Check whether anything remains missing rather than repeatedly submitting the same documents.
- Calculate the applicable deadline. Account for formal defects, excluded periods and notices extending the deadline. Do not count only from the date when recruitment began.
- Consider the appropriate remedy. Where the conditions in Article 37 KPA are met, the party may lodge a reasoned formal reminder (ponaglenie) concerning inactivity or excessive length of proceedings. Verify the correct route and any special rules first. An ordinary status enquiry is not the same remedy, and neither guarantees immediate approval.
- Keep employment decisions separate. An urgent project, a reminder or an unanswered enquiry does not create a right to start work. Recheck expiring stay and work documents while the case is pending.
Article 27 of the employment-of-foreigners Act establishes categories of applications considered in order, including specified employers, qualifying applications for continued employment and specified occupations. Any claim to priority must be checked against the current statutory conditions and relevant lists. A private service provider cannot guarantee a faster queue or a decision date.
Plan the lawful start date, not just the permit date
Prepare and verify documents → submit the correct application → respond to the authority → complete any required visa or residence steps → confirm the right to work before onboarding. Some stages can overlap where the worker’s circumstances allow it. For a first hire abroad, the work-permit decision is not necessarily the last step. For an existing worker, a properly verified continuation entitlement may matter more than the date the next permit is issued.
Hiring or posting staff? Resolve the route before setting a start date
Send a short summary of the employing entity, the candidate’s nationality and location, the role and the planned start date. CGO Legal can assess the legal route and scope the application or compliance work.
Work permit costs: government charges and legal fees
The official application fees effective from 1 December 2025 are shown below. They are government charges and must not be confused with a law firm’s professional fee or with charges for a visa, residence permit or other separate procedure.
| Work-permit application | Official fee |
|---|---|
| Work for a period not exceeding three months | PLN 200 |
| Work for a period exceeding three months | PLN 400 |
| Posting a foreign employee to Poland | PLN 800 |
Source: Dolnośląski Urząd Wojewódzki — work-permit fees and electronic filing. Use the payment instructions of the authority competent for your case; an example authority’s bank account is not a universal payment destination.
Fees and how we quote
CGO Legal’s fee is scoped separately, based on the application route, number of workers, document readiness and any related residence, posting or employment-compliance work. A straightforward employer application and a multi-entity posting review are different instructions and should not be presented as the same package.
The proposal should distinguish legal work from official charges, translations and other third-party costs, and identify whether responses to additional information requests, an appeal or later employment changes are included. For continuing HR support, the recurring work can be scoped separately from individual applications. Professional fees are agreed for the specific instruction.
After approval: contract, notifications and changes
Under Article 17 of the current Act, the entity receiving the work permit must align the contract with the authorised conditions and fulfil the applicable electronic contract-submission obligation. For the ordinary employment route, the Polish-language contract or its copy is submitted through the prescribed system before assigning work. Route-specific exceptions must be checked separately.
The employer must also verify the worker’s valid stay document before work begins and keep the required documentation. A positive work-permit decision does not replace that check. Residence support is a separate but connected workstream; see CGO Mobility’s residence legalisation services.
For work permits, the current notification rules include a seven-day reporting period when the worker has not started within two months of the permit’s initial validity date, interrupts work for more than two months, or finishes more than two months before expiry. Certain changes to the employer or job details also trigger notification duties. A single residence and work permit has its own rules and should not be managed using this work-permit checklist alone.
A new employer, changed duties, reduced remuneration or another material change may require a new authorisation or a separate statutory procedure. Some changes fall within exceptions, sometimes with notification conditions. Review the proposed change before implementing it rather than assuming that the permit follows the employee to any new job.
Where an employment agency supplies staff to another business, both the agency’s authorisation and the worker-specific basis matter. See KRAZ registration and the responsibilities of a temporary employment agency for the separate agency-compliance context.
Common reasons an employer’s case needs further work
| Risk | Practical consequence | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Using an old checklist | An obsolete labour market test or fee is carried into a new application. | Filing date, current legal framework and correct fee. |
| Permit and contract do not match | The actual assignment is not covered by the decision as expected. | Employer, duties, pay, hours, contract and validity dates. |
| Residence restrictions are overlooked | Approval of the employer’s permit is mistaken for permission to enter or stay. | The worker’s actual visa or residence basis and its conditions. |
| The employer’s compliance position is unresolved | Tax, social-security or other statutory grounds may affect the application. | Employer evidence and applicable refusal grounds before filing. |
| No owner for post-approval duties | Contract uploads, notifications or expiry checks are missed. | A named HR owner and a documented compliance calendar. |
An application is not a guarantee of approval. The authorities assess both the proposed employment and the statutory refusal grounds. If a refusal is issued, preserve the decision and proof of service immediately: the ordinary appeal period for a work-permit decision is 14 days from service, and the correct next step depends on the reasons given.
Jakub Chajdas
Contact an expert
info@cgolegal.com
+48 22 873 79 90
For over 12 years of his work at CGO Group Jakub has been supporting foreign investors in setting up and developing their business in Poland. He provides an allround legal and tax suport for corporations with foreign capital.
Till date Jakub has been trusted by Clients from countries such as e.g. USA, UK, Canada, Italy, UAE, Israel as well as Belarus, Ucraine and Baltic States. In his legal practice Jakub supports entrepreneurs with main focus on IT, HR, production and real estate sectors.
Jakub endorses efficient and comfortable business cooperation. If you are interested in tax and legal matters related to setting up and developing a business in Poland he is the person you should contact with. Jakub provides support both in English and Italian.
Work permit in Poland — frequently asked questions
Who applies for a work permit: the employer or the employee?
For the ordinary employer-led work-permit procedure, the employing entity applies, directly or through an authorised representative. This differs from an application for a temporary residence and work permit, which is a separate procedure involving the foreign national.
Can an employee start work while the application is pending?
Not merely because an application has been submitted. Check lawful stay and the right to perform the particular work. For continued work with the same employer, Article 21(1) may apply where the next application was filed during the existing permit’s validity, concerns the same position or type of work, and formal defects are absent or corrected on time. It is not a general entitlement to start with a new employer.
Is the labour market test still required in Poland?
The former labour market test was removed for new applications under the framework effective from 1 June 2025. Older proceedings require a transition check. Current local occupation restrictions and regulated-profession requirements may still be relevant.
Are Type A, B, C and D still useful terms?
These labels remain common in searches and older decisions. For new filings, identify the current route: work for a Polish entity, performance of specified corporate functions, or posting by a foreign employer. Use the current form and requirements for the actual arrangement.
How long does a work permit take, and how long is it valid?
There is no verified nationwide average or guaranteed 30-day processing time. Under general KPA rules, cases requiring investigation should normally be resolved within one month, or two months for particularly complex cases, subject to exclusions and special rules. That is not a visa or residence-processing promise. The general maximum validity of a work permit is three years, with shorter limits in specified cases; the actual decision determines the authorised period.
What are the current work-permit application fees?
From 1 December 2025, the official fee is PLN 200 for a work period not exceeding three months, PLN 400 for a longer period, and PLN 800 for posting a foreign employee to Poland. Legal fees and separate visa or residence costs are not included.
Does a work permit allow the employee to enter and stay in Poland?
No. A work permit is not a visa or a residence permit. The worker must have a lawful stay basis compatible with the work, and any required entry or residence procedure must be assessed separately.
What should an employer send to CGO Legal first?
Start with the employing entity, worker nationality and current location, proposed role, intended start date and whether there is an existing permit or stay document. A short case summary is enough for an initial enquiry; avoid sending passport scans or sensitive documents through the initial form.
Does a pending residence application allow someone to work in Poland?
Not automatically. A correctly submitted, timely residence application may protect lawful stay, but work depends on a separate entitlement or a specific continuation rule. Check the application category, the previous work authorisation, the filing date and the actual conditions of employment.
What can an employer check if a Polish work-permit application is delayed?
Check the electronic filing receipt, competent authority, documents and fee evidence, all requests for additional information and any new deadline set by the authority. Calculate the applicable deadline before considering a reasoned formal reminder under Article 37 KPA. A reminder does not authorise work or guarantee approval.
Discuss your work-permit case
For an employer or HR team, include the company name, number of workers, nationality, job role and intended start date. If you are a worker, say whether you already have a job offer. This form is for a legal enquiry, not a work-permit application to a Polish authority.
Please do not include passport scans, identification numbers or sensitive documents in your first message. The documents needed for the actual matter can be identified after the initial enquiry.
Alternatively, use our contact page or email info@cgolegal.com with “Work permit — employer enquiry” in the subject.
Explore the employment and recruitment cluster
Use these guides for the related employer and agency questions. Incorporation, agency registration, work authorisation and residence are connected workstreams, but none should be treated as a substitute for another.
Employment agency setup
Establishing and operating a recruitment business in Poland.
KRAZ registration
The registration framework for employment agencies.
Recruitment fees
The distinction between employer fees and candidate charges.
Temporary agency responsibilities
The agency’s ongoing compliance obligations.
GDPR in employment agencies
Handling candidate and worker information.
Employer of record and third-party work
Legal structure when work benefits another undertaking.
Foreign investor legal support
Coordinating corporate, tax and employment workstreams.
Company registration
Setting up the Polish employing entity.
Legal sources and scope
- Act of 20 March 2025 on the conditions for entrusting work to foreigners in Poland — including Articles 4, 6, 15, 17–20, 30–36 and transitional Articles 102–103.
- Biznes.gov.pl: changes effective from 1 June 2025 — electronic filing, labour market test and employer obligations.
- Voivodeship authority: fees effective from 1 December 2025 and filing arrangements.
- Act of 20 March 2025, Articles 3, 21 and 27: right to work, continuation during pending applications and application-priority categories; consult the current consolidated text and amendments.
- Code of Administrative Procedure, Articles 35–37: general deadlines, delay notices and formal reminders, subject to applicable special provisions.
- Mazowieckie authority: work-permit applications and Łódzkie authority: work-permit instructions.
- Office for Foreigners, MOS: work during a residence-permit procedure.
This page provides general information, not legal advice for an individual employer or worker. Eligibility, documentary requirements, transitional rules and the appropriate residence route depend on the facts. Approval and processing times are not guaranteed.
