Residence permit for work in Poland - full support
Any foreigner, having employment in Poland, can apply for a residence permit. Since January 29, 2022, many amendments have been made to the law for those who are going to be legalized on the basis of work. In this article you will learn how this process takes place according to the new rules.
Due to the refugee situation, the deadlines for obtaining a residence permit may not be met.
Cost of our services
Prices are relevant for all grounds, except for Business-based Residence Permits.
The price does not include: payment of stamp duty, sworn transfers, payment for receiving plastic, necessary insurance, writing business plans (for business, for example).
The price for all family members applying together with the principal applicant (grounds: family reunification or other circumstances) is 700 PLN gross, regardless of the applicant's basis.
Payment takes place in 2 stages: 1 — 50% prepayment, part 2 after submitting the documents to Migration Office, or after 2 months.
Depending on what comes first.
- Initial consultation
- Analysis of your case and chances
- Audit of your existing documents
- Answers to questions in the CRM system during business hours (for the Basic and Standard packages, only before submitting documents)
- Initial consultation
- Analysis of your case and chances
- Audit of your existing documents
- Answers to questions in the CRM system during business hours (for the Basic and Standard packages, only before submitting documents)
- Filling out applications
- Preparation of documents for submission
- Submission of documents to the migration office by post
- Initial consultation
- Analysis of your case and chances
- Audit of your existing documents
- Answers to questions in the CRM system during business hours (for the Basic and Standard packages, only before submitting documents)
- Filling out applications
- Preparation of documents for submission
- Submission of documents to the migration office by post
- Support for the supply and selection of plastic (TRC)
- Appeal in case of refusal
- Initial consultation
- Analysis of your case and chances
- Audit of your existing documents
- Answers to questions in the CRM system during business hours (for the Basic and Standard packages, only before submitting documents)
- Filling out applications
- Preparation of documents for submission
- Submission of documents to the migration office by post
- Support for the supply and selection of plastic (TRC)
- Appeal in case of refusal
- Consultations throughout the entire process via messenger with a personal manager
- Submitting current documents to the Uzhąd (Warsaw only)
- Representing your interests in the Uzhąd by proxy (Warsaw only)
- Resubmission in case the card is issued for less than 6 months
- Assistance in obtaining ZAS-W, US-7, PIT-37 online using a trusted profile
What is a residence card for the purpose of work
Residence card for the purpose of work (Karta pobytu na podstawie pracy) is a document allowing foreigners working in Poland legally stay there from 3 months to 3 years. This is a temporary residence and work permit in Poland and it is not renewed after its expiration. In order to continue to legally reside in Poland, you need to re-apply for a residence permit any other purpose (work, study, business,
What is a residence card that is not tied to a specific job
Until 29 January 2022, foreigners were actively looking for ways not to be tied to their job. At the dismissal, or change of work they were to go through the whole process of obtaining a residence permit again, so that is why it is called «binding» among the people. Graduates of universities, and those who were trained in vocational schools were exempted from this procedure, for example.
Now this question is not relevant. Since according to the new law, it is no longer necessary to re-apply from a new job to the card for a while. It is enough to simply send an application with new documents to the fund that issued you a permit, stating that you changed your employer (within 30 days), or quit (within 15 days from the date of dismissal).
If you want to get a residence permit in order to simply legally stay in Poland and at the same time without the obligation to have a job, you can consider such a ground as «Other circumstances» (Inne okoliczności). The most common cases when people make an application on this basis are:
- when the whole family applies simultaneously with the main applicant,
- study in a vocational school.
So, when you get a card for other reasons, you don’t have access to the labor market, you’re not tied to the job in any way. But in this case, if you all of a sudden would like to go to work, you just need to get permission for it.
What are other types of residence permit for workers?
Permanent residence permit (PRC) is a permanent residence permit. It is issued on the grounds having Polish roots, the Pole's card or long stay on the basis of the performance of highly qualified work. The bill that would allow permanent residence after more than five years in Poland is currently under consideration. Despite the fact that permanent residence permit is mainly earned by Polish origin, this ground alone is not sufficient. You must have, among other things, an official job, or you must be trained.
Blue Card (karta niebieska) is a residence card, the same as a regular one, but it is given to highly qualified employees of demanded professions. Most often in the IT sphere.
Long-term EU residence permit (rezydent długoterminowy Unii Europejskiej) is a special permit that allows you to reside permanently, similar to a permanent residence card but for people who have no Polish roots. It is obtained by those who have lived more than 5 years in Poland and have a stable income.
Temporary residence for graduate (pobyt czasowy dla absolwenta) is a temporary residence permit for graduates of universities. It is granted to a foreigner who is a graduate of Polish university and is looking for work in Poland. The card is given directly after graduation for the period of 9 months. However, there are options for obtaining it for 3 years.
Thus, employment in Poland is required for most types of residence permits, not only for the cards issued on the basis of employment. Even if you plan to apply for a family reunion and not to be employed, in this case you will need to provide the documents from the work of the person you are on maintenance.
What are the benefits of a residence card for the purpose of work?
In addition to the general benefits that all holders of residence permits receive, such as:
- the right to reside freely in Poland;
- unlimited crossing of the Polish border;
- legal stay in any EU country for up to 90 days during the period of 180 days;
- free access to the labour market;
- purchase and registration of real estate and cars;
- business opportunity;
- the possibility of obtaining visas to countries outside the EU (USA, UK),
- etc.
Foreigners with a residence permit can get simplified work permits (Van der Elst Visa and A1 certificate) in neighbouring countries, for example, can i work in Germany with poland TRC, Austria, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
What are the conditions for obtaining a residence permit for work?
The main requirement is having an employment contract: Umowa o pracę (UoP), Umowa zlecenie (UoZ), or Umowa o dzieło (UoD). The second requirement, according to the new regulations, is having an income of at least 4,806 PLN gross per month or 31.40 PLN gross per hour (from 01.01.2026). In practice, it is better to earn slightly more than the minimum, as applications showing only the exact minimum often raise concerns among office officers and may lead to a refusal.
It may be possible to account for several sources of income.
If your family members who are on maintenance live with you, then a minimum of 823 PLN net should be added to the minimum wage for each family member.
Having an employment contract also requires having a work permit (Oświadczenie or Zezwolenie). Some categories of foreigners are exempt from these permits, such as Blue Card holders from June 1, 2025, and Ukrainian citizens. Work permits are also not required for students and graduates of Polish universities.
You should also remember that the card to be given to you can not exceed the term of the employment contract. Therefore, if you have a temporary job for several months (at least 3), then the card can not be issued more than for this period.
Another requirement is to work for at least 3 months for the same employer. To save time, many applicants submit their residence card application immediately after arrival. By submitting the documents by mail and receiving the “yellow slip,” or through the main office, a foreigner is allowed to stay legally in the country until they are called to provide original documents and fingerprints. Only after the foreigner personally visits the office (urząd) does the case formally enter the processing stage. In some voivodeships, this waiting period before the first appointment can exceed six months.
How to get a residence permit working remotely?
Since January 2022, foreigners no longer need to provide a lease agreement or meldunek (obligation to register residence) in order to get a residence card for work. But in order you to have a territorial reference to any voivodeship in the absence of a lease agreement, or other certificate confirming the fact of residence, you will refer to the address of the employer, or the place of work.
This amendment has made life easier for those who are constantly traveling, for example, for truckers. And for freelancers who like to travel and are not tied to any job.
However, remote work does not exempt you from having an employment contract. For freelancers, there is an excellent opportunity to legalize their income through a business incubator.
Can I change jobs?
Under the new law, changing jobs while waiting or after obtaining a residence permit is not particularly difficult. You should only notify the voivodeship about the dismissal and change of employer within the established deadlines . After that, changes will be made to your decision. If you do not inform about changes concerning your work, you will have problems with obtaining a residence permit in the future. Because after all these terms, you’ll be in Poland illegally. Namely, if you did not inform the voivodeship about the dismissal at the right time, and if you did not leave the country after 30 days, which you were given additionally for a job search.
Important! If you got residence permits before January 29, 2022 or submitted an application before this date, then your «binding to employer» remains. During the processing the case, you can still notify about the job change by providing the documents from the new work. But when you receive the card, you will not be able to do it. You will have to make an application again.
What documents do I need to submit to obtain a residence permit for the purpose of performing work?
The most important ones include:
- 2- 4 copies of filled and signed application form (the number of copies depends on the voivodships) – how to fill in the residence permit application form;
- 4 current 45x35 mm colour photographs;
- 1-2 Xerox copy of a valid travel document (passport);
- stamp duty PLN 440;
- health insurance or ZUS;
- application or work permit
- employment contract.
The rest of the documents depend on what type of permit you have, what position, how the salary is paid, your personal situation and in which voivodeship you are submitted. The absence of any document that confirms what is written in the application form may cause an increase in the time of processing your case or even lead to a negative decision.
All documents must be in Polish or translated by a sworn translator. When submitting documents make copies of all the originals and hand them in. Otherwise, you will probably not receive the originals back.
How to apply for a temporary residence and work permit?
The main thing is to submit documents by the last legal day of your stay in Poland.
This may be done in a number of ways:
By mail. It is enough to fill in an application and make a photocopy of the passport. Then you should send a letter to the post office address of your voivodeship. It is necessary to fill out 2 papers on shipment (white) and receipt (yellow). Once you have sent a letter, your presence is considered legal, even if there is no visa or visa expires the next day. And as soon as you get the yellow card (make sure that you will not have problems with receiving the letters), you can freely show it as proof of legal stay in the country. But keep in mind that it does not allow you to freely cross the borders of Poland. A few months from now, you will get an e-mail telling you to come up to the voivodeship and submit all the documents and fingerprints. There you will be offered to put a red stamp in the passport indicating that you are waiting for the residence card.
Through the office. The process is the same as when sending the application by mail, except that the documents are submitted directly at the office of the foreign affairs department.
After your case is submitted for processing, you will still have the opportunity to send any updated or missing documents.
How long does it take to obtain a residence card for the purpose of work?
Under the new legislation, the decision must be taken within 60 days, provided the complete file has been submitted. If you are in the process of informing some important document or you have a change in the work, the corresponding dates are shifted.
Sometimes you can wait for the card for a year or more. It depends on the voivodeship as well as on the full package of documents you have provided and if you haven't miss the letter from a voivodeship office. So it’s important to keep track of your case status. Now it is done through portals, for example, Inpol, in the Mazovian voivodeship. If you do not know even the number of your case, you should write the appropriate letter asking to send you the case number and name of your inspector. In the event of you have a very long case for further clarification.
So try to stay in touch, have access to your mailbox. And do not leave the country for long, so as not to miss a call or notification from the voivodeship. If you are not sure that you can always be in touch, then you should submit the documents accompanied by an authorized person. They will receive all notifications to their address and phone number, as well as the right to bring in any documents on your behalf.
Expedited processing of the application
If there are any circumstances, in which you need to expedite residence permit, we submit complaints to your inspector in accordance with the established procedure. We provide this service to our clients and constantly monitor the deadlines for processing cases.
What to do if your application is refused?
If you are sure that the truth is on your side, either you inadvertently or through ignorance have missed any circumstance or document, you can appeal. This procedure has 14 days from the date of notification of refusal.
Otherwise, if you have no other reason to stay in Poland, you will have to leave the country.
Stamp duty can be returned by writing an application.
If the decision is positive
A few weeks (or months) after receiving the positive decision letter (decyzja), you will be able to collect the residence card itself. An additional fee of 100 PLN must be paid for the card.
To collect the physical card, you need to register in the appropriate queue at your local office (urząd) or come at the appointed time indicated in the SMS.
Common problems when legalizing for the purposes of performing work
The term of the contract. It should be remembered that the long-term duration of the employment contract will depend on the period for which you can issue a residence permit. If you have a short-term job, then you should not hope to get a residence permit for a year or more.
Envelope wages. An employer may lower your official salary to reduce taxes. Moreover, some foreigners work without a contract at all. On these terms, you will not be able to get a permit to work.
The lack of required work permit. You must have valid “Oświadczenie” and “Zezwolenie” documents. All of these must be submitted when applying for a residence card.
Freelance. You have a source of income, but it’s not declared in Poland.
If you cannot resolve these issues with your employer, we can help.
We do not forge documents or provide fictitious contracts and certificates!
What will you receive as part of the service for issuing a residence card for self employment in Poland?
1
We will choose the right basis for obtaining a Temporary Residence Card and analyze the existing documents.
2
We will provide the list of the documents to be collected, according to your situation.
3
We will help in collecting the necessary documents, provide the forms to fill out by the employer, make an appointment for a visit to Municipal Authority (Urząd Miejski) and Tax Office (Urząd Skarbowy) etc.
4
We will prepare, translate and fill in the documents for the temporary residence card submission.
5
We will provide good discount insurance if necessary.
6
We will accompany you to apply for a residence permit at the migration department.
7
During the case processing, we will send actual data and documents to the migration department. For example, if you change your employer.
8
We will monitor the process and let you know when the positive answer (decyzja) comes.
9
We will book an appointment and accompany you upon receiving of plastic (the permanent residence card itself).
10
In case of unjustified refusal (for example, due to the absence of any document that actually has been presented), we will lodge an appeal.
Mechanisms of obtaining a TRC in Poland
Bases and list of documents
Before applying for a residence permit for work, it is necessary to choose the basis and know exactly the full list of documents required for filing. The bases can be (the most common):
To perform work. This is the most common ground on which you should get an employment contract and minimum wage.
Performing highly qualified work.
Performance of work by a foreigner who is sent by a foreign employer.
Internship.
Seasonal work.
It is important to determine your basis correctly, otherwise there will be a refusal. If in addition to the fact that you work, you are also studying, then you have a controversial situation. We prepare documents and statements so that the inspector has no questions or doubts about your case.
Preparation and translation of documents
After preparation the documents in the home country, they have to be translated by sworn translators who are on the list of state-approved translators. You must have the original or a duplicate of the Birth and Marriage Certificate if you want to apply for a residence permit for your spouse.
After the translation of documents from the homeland, it is necessary to collect internal documents in Poland. It’ll be at least a labor contract and payroll records. In addition, some of the documents will need to be sent each month and notified of significant changes.
We help our clients with document collection, translation and paperwork. We cooperate with a large number of sworn translators.
Insurance
In order to get a residence permit, you will need health insurance. You must insure yourself and your family, which will serve. If you work on the employment contract or contract of mandate, then surely you already pay for you in NFZ your employer, this insurance is enough to insure the whole family (you should have the relevant declarations). However, it happens that the employer does not fulfill his obligations and does not make the corresponding contributions.
If you work under a contract, then you have to take care of your insurance yourself. We will tell you where to get the most inexpensive insurance with a discount of 30%, while it will cover emergency treatment with acute pain to the dentist. Of course, we will help you and arrange it, fill out all the necessary forms to receive it.
Filling in application forms and submitting documents
We have prepared a complete package of documents and translated them. Now you only need to fill in the application forms and submit everything to the department for foreigners.
Documents are usually submitted in two ways:
Submission through the office.
Impersonal submission by mail. In this case, the terms of your case processing are increased by several months, since you will still need to come to the Department of Foreigners for fingerprinting, and only from that moment the time of the processing case will be counted. This way will go to those who urgently need to apply for a residence card, while the full package of documents has not been collected yet. It is enough to send a completed application form and a copy of the passport so that your stay in the country is legal from the date of sending the documents at the post office.
Questions and Answers
How long does it usually take to process a case?
Everything largely depends on the voivodeship where you submit your application. At the moment, for example, in Warsaw the process takes around a year, while in Gdańsk you may end up waiting close to two years.
Can the whole family apply at the same time?
Yes, you can apply for all members of your family at the same time, but without having an access to the labour market. They will be able to start working only after having received the appropriate permits.
When can I get a permanent residence card for the work purpose?
You can obtain a permanent residence card only in the case of work in a most-wanted profession for 4 years. Otherwise, you can get nothing but a long-term EU resident card.
Feedback from our clients
Tanya Zhovna
09/02/2026
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С огромным удовольствием рекомендую её всем, кто ценит профессионализм, надёжность и человеческое отношение. И, без сомнений, обращусь к ней снова
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27/01/2026
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15/01/2026
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ALEXANDR
28/12/2025
Оформлял карту сталего побыта, меня сопровождала Кристина. Все было хорошо: отношение было доброжелательное, вся информация предоставлялась вовремя, а пояснения были понятными и подробными. Процесс прошёл спокойно и без лишних переживаний.
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03/12/2025
Хочу оставить отзыв о работе Latwy Start, а именно о сотрудничестве с Ольгой. Она — профессионал с большой буквы и очень приятный человек.
Ольга помогала мне на каждом этапе: от сбора документов, где она постоянно консультировала меня и предоставляла примеры заполнения, чтобы всё было идеально, до самого посещения ужонда, где она сопровождала меня и полностью сняла стресс, связанный с процедурой.
После подачи Ольга регулярно информировала меня о статусе моего дела и делала всё возможное, чтобы его рассмотрели быстрее.
Я безмерно довольна её работой и обязательно обращусь к ней снова. Сегодня я забрала свою первую карту на 3 года, и точно знаю — без Ольги я бы не справилась!☺️
Vladimir Drobyshevsky
28/11/2025
Хотел бы оставить положительный отзыв о услугах данного агенства. Мои куратором была Ольга. Получил карту побыта, все понравилось: о всех нюансах получал информацию, на все вопросы Ольга отвечала, даже на самые глупые) Ничего не забыли, результат в виде карты получен, рекомендую!
Svitlana
21/11/2025
I’m really thankful to Olga for all her help. From answering the questions to receiving the residence permit. The process was smooth and there was no stress. That took only 5 months from application to obtainment.
Damien Vice
02/11/2025
Ставлю 1 звезду. Планировал начать сотрудничество через икнубатор. Отправил 3 письма, через мейл и форму на сайте, написал в инсте, сделал 2 звонка (без ответа). Потратил неделю на ожидание. Меня просто проигнорировали. Как можно доверять этому сервису, если фонд не в состоянии ответить на письмо и прислать документы для ознакомления. Жду объяснения
Andrii Melnychuk
26/08/2025
I highly recommend Łatwy Start! Thanks to them, my two kids and I received 3-year residence cards without any stress. Special thanks to manager Kristina — she was extremely helpful and even managed to speed up the process for my children. Excellent service, very satisfied!
