Residence Card for company employees in Poland
For regular clients of Progress Holding, we offer a comprehensive service for processing the Temporary Residence Card (TRC) for foreign employees of Polish companies. This is a critically important document that allows you to legally reside and work in Poland on a long-term basis, opening access to a wide range of rights and opportunities.
We are not an immigration agency and do not engage in client searching. We provide professional legal support services to obtain residence cards for employees already working in your company. As your local finance and HR department in Poland, we ensure full coordination with your headquarters and conduct communication in English, Polish, Ukrainian, and Russian, relying on our 22 years of experience working with international companies.
Rights and opportunities provided by the residence card
With a temporary residence card (residence permit), you can stay in Poland for 3 to 36 months, while with a permanent residence permit (PRC) you can live in Poland indefinitely. The residence permit can later be extended for 10 years. The conditions for obtaining a residence permit are regulated by the Polish Law on Foreigners.
The residence permit allows:
- Freely enter and exit Poland
- Make short-term visits to other Schengen countries without visas
- Receive medical care in Poland
- Study in Polish educational institutions
- Buy and rent real estate and other property
- Legally work for the employer indicated in the permit
- Open bank accounts and receive financial services
- Use social guarantees and insurance
Important limitation: Nevertheless, the residence permit provides a foreigner with only a small part of the privileges of Polish citizenship. To obtain the full range of rights, it is necessary to consider the path to permanent residence or citizenship.
Path to permanent residence and settlement permit
For employees planning long-term stay in Poland, there is a clear path to obtaining permanent status.
Permanent residence permit (PRC):
- Issued after legal residence in Poland for at least 5 years on the basis of a temporary residence permit
- Valid indefinitely
- Allows you to work freely without the need to obtain a work permit
- Opens the path to obtaining a settlement permit
Settlement permit:
- Granted to foreign citizens residing in Poland for at least 5 years on the basis of a permanent residence permit
- Valid indefinitely
- Allows its holder to freely work and travel throughout the Schengen zone
- Maximally brings the status of a foreigner closer to the rights of a Polish citizen
Conditions for obtaining a temporary residence card for employees
To successfully obtain a TRC, it is necessary to meet a number of criteria both from the employee and from the employer company.
Requirements for the employee:
- Valid passport (at least 3 months after the expected date of card issuance)
- Legal stay in Poland at the time of application
- Valid employment contract with a Polish company
- Confirmation of having a place of residence in Poland
- Health insurance with coverage of at least 30,000 euros
- Confirmation of a stable and regular source of income
- Certificate of no criminal record from the country of origin
- Biometric photo
Requirements for the employer company:
- Legal registration in Poland (KRS, CEIDG)
- No debts to ZUS and the Tax Office
- Justification of the need to hire a foreign employee
- Confirmation of working conditions compliant with Polish legislation
- Confirmation of salary not lower than the minimum
What Progress Holding offers to regular clients
We take on all the complex administrative work, turning a confusing immigration process into a predictable and controlled result for your headquarters.
- Comprehensive situation audit. We check in advance whether the employee meets all the criteria for obtaining a TRC, minimizing the risk of refusal.
- Preparation of a complete document package. Our specialists professionally prepare all necessary documents, including translations by sworn translators and legalization/apostille.
- Completion of applications. We professionally complete all application forms, eliminating formal errors that can lead to the return of the file.
- Coordination with the company. We work with your Polish company to obtain all necessary corporate documents (KRS, financial statements, employment contracts).
- Representation in the Voivodeship Office. We personally represent the employee’s interests in the voivodeship office, submit the application, and track the review status.
- Preparation for biometric submission. We inform the employee of the need for personal appearance to provide fingerprints and coordinate the submission time.
- Transparent reporting for headquarters. We provide CFOs and HR departments with regular reports on the card processing status in a convenient language.
- Consultations on extension and permanent residence. We remind you in advance of the need to extend the card and consult on the path to obtaining PМЖ.
The cost of the service is transparent and fixed before work begins. No hidden fees.
Why regular clients choose Progress Holding for TRC processing
Progress Holding is not an immigration agency. It is a strategic partner with 22 years of experience working with international companies and foreign entrepreneurs in Poland, which ensures legally flawless processing of residence cards for employees.
- Role of the local finance and HR department. We act as a full-fledged extension of your personnel service, integrating into the processes of the headquarters in Berlin, Amsterdam, London, or New York.
- 22 years of expertise. Our specialists deeply know the procedures of voivodeship offices, requirements for documents for employees, and the specifics of legalizing the stay of foreign workers. We understand what documents and wording voivodeship offices accept.
- Coordination with headquarters. Your HR department receives transparent and timely information about the status of each residence card processing.
- Support in 4 languages. We work in English, Polish, Ukrainian, and Russian. This eliminates any misunderstandings between the headquarters, the Polish subsidiary, and foreign employees.
- Comprehensive accompaniment. We understand that the process can take several months, and we provide professional accompaniment at all stages — from document preparation to receiving the finished card.
- Legal flawlessness. We guarantee that all documents will be prepared in strict accordance with Polish legislation, eliminating the risk of refusal by the voivode.
- Dedicated specialist. A dedicated expert is assigned to your company, who personally supervises the residence card processing.
- Confidentiality. We ensure complete protection of employees’ personal data in accordance with GDPR (RODO).
- Strategic planning. We consult not only on the temporary card but also on the path to permanent residence and settlement permit.
What are the risks of lacking a residence card for an employee
Staying in Poland without a valid residence card (when this specific document is required) is a serious violation of Polish immigration legislation. The consequences affect both the employee and the company.
For the employee:
- Inability to legally stay in Poland for more than 90 days within 180 days (for citizens of countries not in the Schengen zone)
- Prohibition on legal employment
- Risk of deportation and ban on entry into the Schengen zone
- Problems with opening bank accounts and obtaining financial services
- Inability to legally sign real estate lease agreements
- Loss of time and money on urgent document processing
For the company:
- Fines from the National Labor Inspectorate (PIP) for illegal employment of up to 30,000 zlotys per employee
- Criminal liability of management for entrusting work without a permit
- Problems with counterparties and banks requiring confirmation of employee legality
- Reputational losses and problems with investors
- Difficulties in attracting financing or conducting an audit
Contact us for professional TRC processing
Do not risk the legality of your employees’ stay in Poland due to the lack of a residence card. We will promptly assess the situation, prepare a complete document package for the TRC, and submit the application to the voivodeship office — so you can calmly grow your business in Poland, knowing that your employees legally reside and work in the country.
Consultation in English, Polish, Ukrainian, or Russian.