What documents are needed to employ a foreign national in Poland?
The type of document depends mainly on the worker's citizenship and on the work they are to do. This is the first question we answer together with the client. The Polish names of all these documents, as they appear on official forms, are listed in our English–Polish glossary.
Situation | Required document | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Citizen of the EU, EEA or Switzerland | No permit required | Works on the same terms as a Polish citizen |
Citizen of Armenia, Belarus, Moldova or Uzbekistan | Declaration on entrusting work to a foreign national | A quick, simplified procedure at the district labour office |
Citizen of another non-EU country | Work permit (usually type A) | Issued by the voivode at the employer's request |
Seasonal work (e.g. agriculture, tourism) | Seasonal work permit | Issued by the starosta (district labour office) |
A foreign national who wants to live and work in Poland | Single permit for temporary residence and work | The application is filed by the foreign national; the employer provides an annex |
Citizen of Ukraine | Until now a notification; during the transition period, a gradual move to the general rules | The rules change from 5 March 2026 |
What the procedure looks like step by step
Since June 2025 the entire procedure has been carried out electronically via the praca.gov.pl portal. Paper applications are no longer accepted.
- Checking the worker's situation. We establish their citizenship, legal basis for staying in Poland and the type of work. The choice of document depends on this.
- Checking the business. A new business cannot employ foreign nationals during its first 6 months of operation. No arrears and no previous violations also matter.
- Preparing the documents. Company and worker details, terms of employment, pay at least at the level of the minimum wage.
- Filing the application via praca.gov.pl + fee.
- Contract before work starts. A copy of the signed contract must be submitted to the authority before the worker starts work. The contract must be in a language the foreign national understands or come with a translation.
- Registration with ZUS within 7 days of starting work (ZUA or ZZA form).
- Ongoing service. Payroll, contributions, advance tax payments, monitoring document expiry dates.
At Parakairon we guide our clients through all these stages. We can file the application on your behalf as your authorised representative and then immediately add the employee to HR and payroll.
How long does it take and how much does it cost?
A declaration on entrusting work is the quickest; a work permit issued by the voivode takes the longest. Approximately:
Document | Processing time | Official fee |
|---|---|---|
Declaration on entrusting work to a foreign national | up to 7 days | PLN 400 |
Type A work permit | approx. 60 days | depends on the type and duration of the permit |
Single permit for residence and work | usually several months | stamp duty for the residence card |
In practice the time depends on the authority's workload and on how complete the application is. Every missing document means a request to supplement it and more weeks of waiting. That is why it is so important for the application to be well prepared from the start.
The most common mistakes and penalties
Illegally entrusting work to a foreign national is punishable by a fine of PLN 3,000 to 50,000 per person. Failing to submit the contract to the authority can result in a fine of up to PLN 30,000. A repeated violation within two years may block the business from obtaining further declarations and permits.
The most common mistakes made when employing foreign nationals:
- Work starting before the document is issued or before a copy of the contract is submitted.
- No update after a change in terms. A promotion, a different position, a change in working hours, type of contract or pay requires the declaration or permit to be updated. Even a few days' delay can mean illegal employment.
- A contract without a translation into a language the worker understands.
- Missed expiry dates of permits, residence cards and passports.
- Late registration with ZUS.
Inspections by the National Labour Inspectorate and the Border Guard are more frequent today than ever. Well-run HR is the best protection against these penalties.
Employer obligations after hiring
Obtaining the permit is only the beginning. Throughout the employment, the employer is responsible for making sure the documents match reality.
- Keep the contract with its translation and the worker's documents for the entire period of employment and for 2 years after it ends.
- Pay wages in line with the declaration or permit and not lower than the minimum wage.
- Update the documents whenever the terms of work change.
- Monitor expiry dates and apply for extensions in good time.
- Notify the authority if the foreign national does not start work or stops working, where the rules for the given document require it.
It is precisely these recurring obligations that most often slip through the cracks in day-to-day business.