Changes in the legalization of work and residence for foreigners in Poland.

• Changes in legalization of work and residence
• Labor market test abolished
• Accelerated procedure for permits
• Grounds for refusal of permits
• Delegation of foreigners to Poland
• Visa restrictions
• New information obligations for employers
• Declarations of entrusting work
• Work permits – obligations
• Temporary residence and work permit
• Refusal of a temporary residence permit
• Changes for employment agencies
• EU Blue Card
• Contact

As of June 1, 2025, new regulations concerning the employment and residence of foreigners will come into effect in Poland. The new rules fully transition processes to an electronic format and introduce new grounds for refusing work and residence permits.

IMPORTANT! From June 1, 2025, all matters related to the employment of foreigners will be handled exclusively online through the Praca.gov.pl portal. This includes:

• submitting applications for work permits
• submitting declarations of entrusting work
• sending necessary documents and attachments for applications.

Labor market test abolished

Confirmation from the starosta is no longer required to obtain:

• A work permit
• A temporary residence and work permit
• A residence and work permit for a profession requiring high qualifications.

However, in the event of an unfavorable situation on the labor market, it is possible to introduce local restrictions, such as:

• Specific lists of professions closed to foreigners
• Limits on the employment of foreigners.

The decision to close access to certain professions for foreigners in a specific district is made by the starosta based on a justified request from the director of the district labor office and a positive opinion from the district labor market council. The list of professions available only to citizens of the country is approved by the Council of Ministers.

Accelerated procedure for obtaining work permits

Certain companies and positions are eligible for an accelerated review of work permit applications. These applications are processed on a priority basis. The accelerated procedure applies to:

• Companies of strategic importance
• Continuation of employment with the current employer
• Shortage occupations specified in a separate regulation.

The accelerated review also applies to visas and temporary residence permits with the right to work.

Grounds for refusal of work permits

The voivode or starosta may refuse to legalize a foreigner’s work if:

• the foreigner has not previously worked after arriving in Poland
• the employer obstructed an inspection of the legality of employment
• the company failed to pay contributions or taxes
• the foreigner will work for a third party without being a temporary agency worker
• the planned employment is less than a quarter of a full-time equivalent (for work permits)
• employment is scheduled to begin more than 12 months after the permit is issued (or 6 months for declarations).

Delegation of foreigners to Poland

The new rules for posting foreigners to work in Poland by foreign entities establish the following requirements:

• Prior employment – the foreigner must be officially employed before the start of the secondment.
• Employee status – the foreigner must have the status of an employee.
• Vertical capital links – when delegating within a capital group, there must be vertical capital links between the foreign and Polish entities. Delegation between “sister” companies is prohibited.
• Export of services – when delegating for the purpose of providing services in Poland, the entity posting the foreigner is obliged to provide an export service.

Visa restrictions

Foreign citizens staying in Poland on visas issued by other Schengen countries for tourism, medical treatment, education (except for study programs), private visits, participation in cultural or sports events, transit, humanitarian, or religious purposes are not entitled to work.

New information obligations for employers

Before starting work with a foreign employee, a copy of the preliminary employment contract must be sent to the competent authority that issued the work permit or accepted the declaration. This can be done through the Praca.gov.pl portal.

The Praca.gov.pl system will be updated to handle new obligations:

• July 1, 2025: for declarations of entrusting work to a foreigner with a seasonal work permit.
• August 1, 2025: for cases involving a standard work permit.

NOTE! In the period up to July 1 and August 1, respectively, employers are not required to submit a copy of the contract concluded with the foreigner to the authority that issued the permit or entered the declaration into the register.

Declarations of entrusting work

The starosta must be notified via the Praca.gov.pl portal:

• About the foreigner starting work – within 7 days.
• About the failure to start work – within 14 days of the planned start date.
• About the early termination of work – this automatically cancels the declaration.

Work permits

The employer is obliged to notify the voivode via the Praca.gov.pl portal within 7 days if the foreign worker:

• did not start work within 2 months of the permit being issued
• stopped working for more than 2 months
• finished work more than 2 months before the permit’s expiry date.

All changes must be reported within 7 days, including but not limited to:

• the location of the employer’s registered office
• the name or legal form of the employer
• a change of workplace
• a change in the job title (without changing the scope of duties).

IMPORTANT! Failure by the employer to comply with these information obligations may result in a fine of up to 5,000 PLN.

Temporary residence and work permit

The employer indicated in the foreigner’s single temporary residence and work permit is now responsible for notifying the voivode of the foreigner’s job loss within 15 days. Previously, this obligation rested solely with the employee. Within the same 15-day period, the employer is also required to report the following changes:

• Changes concerning the employer or the user-employer
• Transfer of the workplace to another entity
• Increase in working hours (with a proportional salary increase)
• Change in the form of the legal relationship (e.g., from a civil law contract to an employment contract)
• Change in the job title that does not affect the scope of duties.

Refusal of a temporary residence and work permit

From June 1, 2025, the list of grounds for refusing a temporary residence and work permit for foreigners in Poland will be significantly expanded. The prohibition on applying extends to foreigners staying in Poland on visas issued for the following purposes:

• tourism
• visiting relatives or friends
• participating in sports or cultural events, conferences
• education (first and second-cycle studies, uniform master’s studies, doctoral school, vocational training, any other forms of education)
• transit (including air)
• medical treatment
• participating in cultural, educational, humanitarian, or summer work exchange programs.

Previously, the restriction only applied to tourist visas and visits to relatives/friends. Furthermore, applications are not accepted if the foreigner is in Poland on a long-term visa or residence permit issued by another Schengen country (except in cases of exercising the right to free movement within the Schengen area), as well as on the basis of an entry permit issued by the Polish Border Guard.

Changes for employment agencies

Employment agencies wishing to work with foreign citizens must meet the following requirements:

• At least 2 years of work experience.
• Submission of an application to amend the entry in the register of employment agencies.
• Payment of a fee of 1,000 PLN.

NOTE! If before June 1, 2025, you run a temporary work and employment agency for foreigners that requires a work permit or a declaration of entrusting work, and you are entered in the register, you can continue this activity without meeting the two-year experience requirement. However, you must submit an application to amend your entry by August 31, 2025.

EU Blue Card

The new rules simplify obtaining and using the EU Blue Card in Poland. The temporary residence permit for highly qualified specialists is no longer tied to a specific position or employer. The minimum duration of the employment contract required to apply has been reduced from one year to six months.

IMPORTANT! “Higher professional qualifications” for the EU Blue Card include both higher education and significant professional experience.

An EU Blue Card can be revoked if the holder no longer meets the requirements. However, when revocation proceedings are initiated:

• A foreigner who has resided in Poland for less than 2 years has 3 months to find a new job.
• A foreigner who has resided in Poland for more than 2 years has 6 months to find a new job.

During this period, the card cannot be revoked. After this period expires, the permit will be withdrawn.

EU Blue Card holders:

• Can benefit from short-term and long-term mobility within the EU.
• Are obliged to notify the voivode of job loss, change of employer, failure to meet the card’s requirements, and the start of using long-term mobility, indicating the EU country.
• Have the right to conduct business in Poland on the same terms as Polish citizens. This also applies to holders of temporary residence permits issued for the long-term mobility of an EU Blue Card holder.

Contact

If you would like more information or have any questions, please contact our managers for a prompt consultation: office@progressholding.pl