As of October 2023, Poland has implemented an overhaul of its foreign employment regulations that will affect the way employers are legally allowed to hire foreign employees. Companies that rely on hiring from overseas, such as those in manufacturing, logistics, construction, IT, shared services, and/or seasonal fluctuations, will find that all aspects of compliance, attorney fees, timeframes, and expense structures have changed due to these new regulations.
If your business plans on hiring foreign talent in Poland at any point in the future, it would be prudent to begin aligning your processes for hiring foreign workers with this new legislation. This becomes even more important as Poland faces workforce challenges such as Poland Faces Sharp Labor Force Decline.Failing to do so could result in substantial delays in processing foreign worker applications, having to take steps to comply with these new policies, or being subject to significant penalties.
This article provides a brief overview of what changed based on recent legislation, how the changes will impact day-to-day operations, and how employers can remain compliant as the laws regulating foreign employment in Poland continue to change while also addressing Immigration Status and Staying in Poland.
What Changed And When: A Quick Timeline Employers Should Note
On June 1, 2025, Poland will implement a law in favour of employment for foreigners that will have an important impact on how foreign employees are treated. Some additions to the law has occurred on December 1, 2025. For employers, the biggest change with the new law is how compliance will be accomplished.
Employers will have to comply with the new rules in a digital manner, as well as through documentation and an increased level of tracking. As a result, employers will incur higher administrative fees and face additional burdens when it comes to following the procedures outlined in the law.
Why This Matters For Employers And HR Teams
In many companies, foreign employees are used to fill difficult-to-hire roles or positions requiring a special set of skills, making Poland an important destination for professionals looking to get a job in Poland. The Polish initiative has been developed to modernise and completely change the way we do business through digitisation, a clearer definition of what you can exempt yourself from under these new laws and regulations, and a more stringent level of oversight.
But from the employer’s perspective, the impact is very practical:
- More steps must be completed before the worker starts
- More evidence must be stored and produced on demand
- Government fees and “re-submission” costs can increase total hiring spend
- An incorrect residence/work basis can invalidate work eligibility, even if the employee is physically present in Poland
If you manage poland foreign hires at scale, these changes can also influence workforce planning: lead times, onboarding schedules, and cost-per-hire.
Core Employer Obligations Introduced Or Strengthened
Electronic submission of employment contracts (pre-commencement requirement)
Employers will likely be asked beforehand, at the time that they employ their foreign employees, to provide their foreign employees’ contracts electronically using the official website of the Employer’s Portal once that system becomes available. If employers do not meet this requirement, they will face penalties.
Employer action: Build a “no start without submission” checkpoint into onboarding. For high-volume hiring, this typically requires a centralized compliance owner.
Contract language and sworn Polish translation
Employers must check if contracts prepared in a foreign language have been provided with a certified Polish translation unless the contract itself is a bilingual document as well.
Employer action: Standardize templates (bilingual where possible), and pre-arrange a translation process that does not delay start dates.
Written information about trade union rights
Employers are required to provide written notice to foreign workers regarding their right to join trade unions (generally recommended in the language that the worker understands).
Employer action: Include this as a mandatory onboarding document alongside policies, H&S briefings, and employee handbooks.
Digitization: The Hiring Process Is Increasingly E-Portal Driven
As one of the main focus points of the reforms, all paperwork necessary to apply, provide documentation, or perform a reporting of information has been moved to an electronic form wherever applicable.
For employers, digitization is not just “paperless”; it also increases government visibility into:
- Whether someone actually started work
- Whether the job conditions match what was declared
- Whether the employer has met pre-start obligations
- Whether documentation is consistent across systems
This shift affects every part of Poland’s foreign hire regulations compliance: filing, evidence retention, internal audits, and response readiness in case of inspections.
Higher State Fees: Budget Impact For High-Volume Hiring
From late 2025, multiple sources report substantial increases in fees for work permits and employer declarations (oświadczenie). Examples cited include increases such as:
- Employer declaration fee rising to PLN 400 (from earlier levels)
- Work permit fees rising to PLN 200 (up to 3 months) and PLN 400 (over 3 months), with higher amounts for secondment/posting categories
Why it matters: if your hiring model has high turnover (e.g., warehousing, production lines, hospitality, seasonal staffing), the total administrative cost can rise sharply, especially if changes to role, location, or hours require reprocessing.
Employer action: Forecast permit/declaration spend as a line item in workforce planning, and reduce avoidable resubmissions by locking job details early.
The “Declaration Procedure” Becomes More Limited For Some Nationalities
Historically, Poland has allowed some countries to use a simplified declaration-based pathway for visa purposes. However, the latest guidance and comments from the industry have indicated that this pathway has been restricted further by removing Georgia from the list of countries eligible for simplified declarations.
Policy has evolved to reflect changes in both the domestic and international markets; therefore, applicants should be aware that using a simplified declaration to obtain their visa will likely not apply to all applicants from countries that would previously have qualified under this process.
Employer action: Don’t assume the same eligibility rules apply year-to-year. Verify nationality-based pathways for every requisition, especially when ramping up quickly.
Work-Permit Exemptions: Clarified Lists, But More Verification Is Required
An essential part of the changes is that now it is much clearer who has the ability to work without having to obtain a labour permit (or declare) for particular circumstances, as amended through new regulations & updated catalogues.
This is a double-edged sword for employers:
- Clearer rules can reduce guesswork
- But a “wrong assumption” on exemption status can create compliance exposure
Employer action: Treat exemptions like a controlled policy decision, document the legal basis, keep evidence of residence title/status, and review exemptions whenever a role changes.
Labour Market Test Abolished: Replaced By New Restriction Mechanics
Poland removed the former traditional labour market testing requirement in 2025; however, it was introduced that local government/county authorities may implement a process for the limitation of hiring for specific sectors/situations.
What this means for employers: Hiring may be faster in many cases, but compliance planning must consider local/regional restrictions that can vary by location and sector.
Posted Workers And “Other Schengen Visa” Risk: Re-Check Work Eligibility Assumptions
For many businesses that send employees across borders for work-related purposes, a major risk is the dependence on visas obtained through the other Schengen countries. Recent changes in policy may preclude Polish employers from hiring and/or utilizing employees with a visa issued by an employer from another Schengen member country, even when that employment was previously established with no issues.
Employer action: Audit your mobility and business travel flows. Ensure any assignment in Poland is supported by the correct Polish work authorization and residence basis, where required.
Practical Compliance Checklist For Employers Hiring Foreign Nationals In Poland
To stay aligned with poland foreign hire regulations, many employers are updating their internal controls to include:
- Pre-hire eligibility check: Nationality pathway, residence title, right-to-work basis
- Role definition lock: Job title, site, hours, salary/compensation elements
- Contract controls: Written contract, bilingual or sworn Polish translation
- Portal submission workflow: Electronic filings and contract submission prior to start
- Onboarding compliance pack: Union rights notice, policies, acknowledgements
- Cost tracking: Permit/declaration fees and reprocessing contingencies
- Inspection readiness: Document retention, version control, audit trails
For employers with recurring poland foreign hire requirements, the biggest win is consistency, standard templates, standardized document packs, and a repeatable portal filing rhythm.
Common Employer Pitfalls To Avoid
Even experienced HR teams tend to run into avoidable issues during regulatory transitions. Watch for:
- Late contract finalization, causing missed “submit-before-start” obligations
- Non-certified translations that fail scrutiny
- Assuming exemption status without verifying the updated exemption catalogue
- Using outdated nationality eligibility assumptions for simplified procedures
- Underbudgeting permit/declaration fees in high-turnover industries
These are exactly the pain points where a specialized staffing and compliance partner can reduce risk.
How Dynamic Staffing Services Can Help Employers Navigate These Changes?
Dynamic Staffing Services is committed to helping employers find and hire foreign workers efficiently with no time wasted on uncertainty regarding compliance. If your company plans to expand or maintain workforce sizes in Poland, we are happy to work with you on creating and implementing an efficient, compliant process for hiring foreign workers in Poland in accordance with current laws and regulations.
What we offer
- End-to-end staffing support for employer workforce needs (volume hiring and specialized roles)
- Compliance-led onboarding workflows aligned to updated employer obligations (contract readiness, documentation packs, policy acknowledgements)
- Process coordination for work authorization steps (helping you manage documentation completeness, timelines, and internal handoffs)
- Workforce planning support to reduce rework and avoid repeat filings caused by late job changes
- Ongoing advisory so your HR team stays aligned as regulations evolve
Why Do Employers Work With Us?
When Poland’s foreign recruitment is crucial for your company, achieving “permits on time” is not just about a process. It also involves safeguarding the productivity of your company by ensuring faster hiring processes, fewer rejected applications, cleaner paperwork, and less risk of non-compliance. If you are interested in partnering with Dynamic Staffing Services, contact us today at clientservices@dss-hr.com!
