Poland: Extensive Reforms in Foreign Employment
As of 1 December 2025, Poland has implemented a set of significant amendments to the rules governing the employment of foreigners. These changes have reorganized who may work under simplified procedures, raised application fees, tightened documentation requirements, and clarified which activities can be carried out without a work permit.
Employers and foreign nationals who began procedures under the old rules before 1 December 2025 maintain their status and may continue under those conditions.
Below is the summary of the key changes:
Georgia has been removed from simplified Work visa scheme
The simplified work (employer-declaration) scheme, which allows faster employment, now applies only to citizens of these four countries:
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Armenia
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Belarus
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Moldova
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Ukraine
More details can be found in the separate article: Link
State fees and application costs increased
The cost to file a declaration for entrusting work has risen from PLN 100 to PLN 400.
Work-permit application fees have also changed:
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PLN 200 — for permits up to 3 months
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PLN 400 — for permits longer than 3 months
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PLN 800 — for foreign-worker delegations
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Seasonal-work permits are now priced at PLN 100
More rigorous documentation and digital procedures
A new regulation standardizes the list of documents employers must attach to permit or declaration applications. Required attachments include: digital copies of passports/IDs, proof of fee payment, translations of non-Polish documents, and—where relevant—proof of professional qualifications.
All applications and supporting materials must be filed electronically via the official portal (no paper submissions accepted). This digital-only requirement has been in effect since earlier 2025.
Clarified permit-exempt work and new restrictions
The updated regulations more precisely define categories of activities for which foreigners may work without a permit or declaration. Some of these include:
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Participation in EU/international assistance or training programs
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Foreign-language teachers in certain institutions
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Accredited foreign journalists, short-term artistic or audiovisual work (up to 30 days/year)
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Guest lectures, occasional presentations, internships, and some research activities under defined conditions
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Regulated professions (e.g. medical, pharmacy, physiotherapy) under valid licensing
At the same time, stricter time limits are introduced for seasonal, short-term and delegate-type assignments. For example, delegations from abroad are allowed only up to 3 months per year under defined tasks (e.g. installation, training, trade-fair work).
What these changes mean in practice — Our recommendations for employers and applicants
Companies must carefully verify the nationality of foreign workers — only citizens of the four approved countries are now eligible for the fast-track declaration procedure.
Budget planning must account for higher fees: the jump from PLN 100 to PLN 400 per declaration is significant.
All applications and documents must be submitted via the official online portal; paper filings are not possible.
Employers and foreign workers should check if their planned activity fits into one of the permit-exempt categories — but also note stricter limits (e.g. 30-day per year maximums for certain artistic or short-term assignments).
For those who previously benefitted from simpler or more lenient procedures (e.g. Georgians, or certain visa-based workers), the new rules may significantly complicate future employment efforts.