General rules for the performance of work by foreigners in Poland

Detailed explanation

I. Full access to Poland labour market

Full access to Poland labour market applies to situations where you can perform work without having an additional document entitling you to work, such as a work permit or a declaration of employment of a foreign national. Having full access to the labour market, you can work for any employer and under any conditions.

If you are a third-country national or stateless person, you have full access to Poland labour market if:

• you are a beneficiary of international protection or domestic forms of protection against expulsion (you have refugee status granted in Poland, you have been granted subsidiary protection in Poland; you have a permit to stay for humanitarian reasons or for a tolerated stay in Poland; you use temporary protection in Poland) or you have a valid certificate issued by the Head of the Office for Foreigners in connection with the ongoing proceedings for international protection;

• you have a residence permit granted indefinitely (permanent residence permit or long-term EU resident's residence permit);

• you have a temporary residence and work permit / performing work in a profession requiring high qualifications (Blue Card) – only if it does not specify the employer, job position, remuneration, working time and the type of contract constituting the basis for performing work;

• you have a temporary residence permit for the purpose of full-time studies;

• you are a full-time student in Poland, and you have a document legalizing your stay in Poland;

• you are a graduate of Polish upper secondary schools, full-time higher education, or full-time doctoral studies at Polish universities, and you have a document legalizing your stay in Poland;

• you have a temporary residence permit for the purpose of conducting scientific research;

• you have a temporary residence permit for the long-term mobility of the researcher;

• you are in Poland in connection with the short-term mobility of an ICT employee, the short-term mobility of a researcher or the mobility of a student;

• you have a temporary residence permit for a family member of a citizen of the Republic of Poland;

• you have a temporary residence permit for the purpose of family reunification;

• you have a temporary residence permit for a victim of trafficking in human beings;

• you have a temporary residence permit for the holder of a long-term EU resident permit in another EU Member State;

• you have a temporary residence permit for a family member of the holder of a long-term EU resident permit in another EU Member State;

• you have a valid Pole's Card and a document legalizing your stay in Poland.

II. Limited access to Poland labour market

Limited access to Poland labour market applies to the situation when you can perform work on the basis of a document entitling to work, in which it is specified the employer you can work for and the conditions under which you can work.

You have limited access to Poland labour market if:

• you settle a work permit and stay in the territory of Poland on the basis of:

• visas, with the exception of a visa issued for the purpose of tourism or in order to benefit from temporary protection;

• on the basis of a temporary residence permit, with the exception of a temporary residence permit granted due to circumstances requiring a short-term stay;

• a visa issued by another country of the Schengen area;

• a residence permit issued by another Schengen country;

• under the visa-free regime.

• you have a declaration of employment of a foreign national, entered in the register of declarations, and you are staying on the territory of Poland on the basis of:

• visas, with the exception of a visa issued for the purpose of tourism or in order to benefit from temporary protection;

• on the basis of a temporary residence permit, with the exception of a temporary residence permit granted due to circumstances requiring a short-term stay;

• a visa issued by another country of the Schengen area;

• a residence permit issued by another Schengen country;

• under the visa-free regime.

• you have a temporary residence and work permit, in which the employer, job position, salary, working time and type of contract are entered;

• you have a Blue Card (temporary residence permit for the purpose of performing work in a profession requiring high qualifications);

• you have a temporary residence permit for the purpose of conducting business activity, in which the employer, job position, salary, working time and type of contract are entered;

• ICT permit (temporary residence permit for the purpose of performing work as part of an intra-corporate transfer)

• a temporary residence permit for the long-term mobility of a manager, specialist, or trainee worker as part of an intra-corporate transfer.

If you want to know more:

• read the information on the Vortal of Public Employment Services in the tab Employment of foreigners

• read the materials posted on the biznes.gov.pl portal