Poland
Work permit in Poland.
To work in Poland without EU, EEA or Swiss citizenship you need a residence and work permit from urząd wojewódzki (wojewoda) (Voivodeship Office (the voivode)). The main routes are Polish work permit (zezwolenie na pracę), EU Blue Card, ICT permit, Seasonal work permit. EU Blue Card minimum salary: PLN 160,264 a year since 1 January 2026. EU long-term residence is possible after 5 years on most routes.
Permit types
The permits Poland issues
- Polish work permit (zezwolenie na pracę)
- EU Blue Card
- ICT permit
- Seasonal work permit
- Self-employment permit
- Family member permit
- Residence permit
- Visa
- Residence card
- Social-security certificate (A1 or similar)
Salary levels
What the permit has to pay
Each figure with its legal basis and the official page it comes from.
EU Blue Card minimum salary
PLN 160,264 a year · from 1 January 2026
Official sourceFees and other amounts
What else costs or counts
Fees and other dated amounts, each with the official page it comes from.
Temporary residence and work permit stamp duty
PLN 440 · as of 3 October 2026
Official sourceStaying longer
Faster routes and settling
EU long-term residence: after 5 years
- Stable and regular resources
- Sickness insurance
- Integration conditions where national law sets them
Authorities
Who does what in Poland
urząd wojewódzki (wojewoda) (Voivodeship Office (the voivode))
Decides the work permit and the temporary residence and work permit, and issues the residence card (karta pobytu)
Official websiteurząd skarbowy (Krajowa Administracja Skarbowa) (Tax office of Poland's National Revenue Administration)
Income tax; an individual without a business is identified by the PESEL number
Official websiteZakład Ubezpieczeń Społecznych (ZUS) (Polish Social Insurance Institution)
Social insurance: the employer registers the employee and pays the contributions
Official websiteOther countries
- Sweden
- Germany
- France
- Netherlands
- Denmark
- Portugal
- Spain
- Belgium
- Norway
- Austria
- Czech Republic
- Slovakia
- Hungary
- Slovenia
- Finland
- Estonia
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Greece
- Cyprus
- Malta
- Croatia
- Bulgaria
- Romania
- Luxembourg
- Liechtenstein
- Switzerland
- United Arab Emirates
Official sources
- Sejm (Dziennik Ustaw 2025 poz. 621): Act of 20 March 2025 on the conditions for entrusting work to foreigners (art. 8: the employer applies on praca.gov.pl; art. 15: up to 3 years; art. 19–20: notifications within 7 days; art. 26: the voivode decides the work permit for a Polish employer)
- Mazowiecki Urząd Wojewódzki: new rules on work permits from 1 June 2025 (applications only on praca.gov.pl; no labour-market test)
- Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy: labour market laws in force on 1 June 2025 (the labour-market test replaced by the starosts' lists of occupations)
- Urząd do Spraw Cudzoziemców (MOS): temporary residence and work permit (filed and signed by the foreigner in MOS; stamp duty PLN 440; up to 3 years; appeal within 14 days to the Head of the Office for Foreigners)
- Urząd do Spraw Cudzoziemców (MOS): EU Blue Card (150 % of the average remuneration; PLN 160,264.08 a year for applications in 2026)
- Urząd do Spraw Cudzoziemców (MOS): temporary residence permit for seasonal work (no longer than 9 months in a calendar year)
- Urząd do Spraw Cudzoziemców (MOS): registration of residence of an EU citizen (no later than the day after 3 months from entry, in person at the voivodeship office)
- Urząd do Spraw Cudzoziemców (MOS): residence card of a family member of an EU citizen (no later than the day after 3 months from entry)
- gov.pl: register for permanent or temporary residence (zameldowanie) no later than the 30th day after moving in; PESEL assigned at registration
- gov.pl: obtain a PESEL number (foreigners)
- Sejm (Dziennik Ustaw 2026 poz. 151): Act on the registration and identification of taxpayers, art. 3: the PESEL number is the tax identifier of individuals without a business
- Krajowa Administracja Skarbowa: podatki.gov.pl
- Zakład Ubezpieczeń Społecznych: zus.pl
- Sejm (Dziennik Ustaw 2025 poz. 1682): Act on the posting of workers (art. 24: declaration to the PIP no later than the first day, a contact person in Poland; art. 25: documents kept; art. 4a: motivated notification for 18 months)
- Państwowa Inspekcja Pracy: National Labour Inspectorate
FAQ
Questions, answered.
What is the minimum salary for a work permit in Poland?
EU Blue Card minimum salary: PLN 160,264 a year (from 1 January 2026).
Who issues work permits in Poland?
urząd wojewódzki (wojewoda) (Voivodeship Office (the voivode)): Decides the work permit and the temporary residence and work permit, and issues the residence card (karta pobytu).
When can someone get eu long-term residence in Poland?
After 5 years on most routes. Stable and regular resources. Sickness insurance. Integration conditions where national law sets them.
Which software can an agency or HR team use to manage work permits in Poland?
Settio is relocation management and work permit software with a plan for Poland: the main route (Polish work permit (zezwolenie na pracę)), the steps with the Voivodeship Office (the voivode), the documents, the deadlines and the registrations after arrival, with client and employee portals, quotes and milestone invoices. It runs every EU country in the same workspace, and each case shows only Poland's own rules and sources.
How does Settio help with work permits in Poland?
Settio builds the step-by-step plan for each person moving to Poland, checks documents before filing, tracks deadlines and gives the person a portal in their own language.
More
- Relocating to Poland: the first weeks
- Relocation and immigration across Europe
- AI immigration compliance
Informational only. This guide is not legal advice. Always verify requirements with official government sources before acting. Reviewed by the Settio team. Facts checked 3 October 2026. About this information