General rules for the performance of work by foreigners in Poland

Introduction

The free movement of workers is one of the four fundamental freedoms of citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) and Switzerland, as well as their family members.

It includes the right to:

• looking for a job in another Member State,

• to work in another Member State without having to obtain a work permit;

• residing in another Member State on the grounds of work,

• remain in another Member State even after the end of the employment relationship, provided that the conditions laid down by EU law are met;

• equal treatment with nationals of the Member State concerned as regards access to employment, working conditions and social and tax advantages. Restrictions on access to the labour market are applied to the public service.

EU law provides EU/NO/IS/LI/CH citizens and their family members with full access to Poland labour market, while other foreigners benefit from this access only in certain cases.

Third-country nationals and stateless persons may work in Poland if:

• resides in Poland legally and

• have an appropriate right to perform work, which may result either from a document entitling to work or from a specific situation that makes it possible for them to perform work in Poland without this document.