How to Hire a Foreign Worker in Poland

Hiring a non-EU worker involves a few formalities: the foreigner needs legal residence and a valid basis to work. For the employer this usually means obtaining a work permit or registering a declaration. Investya runs the entire process for employers – in any city in Poland.

Step by step: how to hire a foreigner legally

1. Check legal residence – visa, residence card or visa-free travel. Without legal residence, work cannot be entrusted.
2. Establish the right basis to work – a declaration to entrust work (for nationals of selected countries, up to 24 months) or a work permit (type A and others).
3. Labour market test – if required, obtain the starosta's opinion (many occupations are exempt).
4. Obtain the permit / register the declaration at the relevant office.
5. Sign the contract and meet your obligations – employment or civil-law contract, ZUS registration, reporting duties to the office.

Declaration or work permit?

For nationals of Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Armenia, among others, there is a simplified route – the declaration to entrust work (up to 24 months, registered with the labour office). All other cases require a work permit issued by the voivode. We cover the details on our work permit page.

Employer obligations

• providing conditions consistent with the permit (position, pay not lower than declared),
• registering the worker with ZUS and settling contributions,
• keeping copies of residence documents for the whole employment period,
• informing the office of changes (e.g. end of employment) within the required deadlines.

Consequences of illegal employment

Entrusting work to a foreigner without the required documents carries a fine, and in more serious cases additional sanctions for the company. Getting the formalities right from the start is far cheaper than the risk of an inspection – which is why it pays to leave it to specialists.

How Investya helps

We run the entire hiring process for the employer: choosing the route, the labour market test, the permit or declaration application, and support with the contract and registrations. We combine it with the worker's residence card and HR & payroll under accounting services. For people working without their own company, the business incubator is often an alternative.

Frequently asked questions