Poland · Work
Poland Work permit (single permit)
First stay: 3 yrs
Temporary residence and work permit (single permit)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Work permit (single permit) is a work route for Poland. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Government fees
- PLN 440 ≈ $110 · PLN 100 ≈ $25
- Processing
- Up to 60 days
- First stay
- 3 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fees PLN 540 ≈ $140 in total (2 fees); decision: up to 60 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government feesPLN 440 ≈ $110 · PLN 100 ≈ $25
- PLN 440 (≈ $110)Stamp duty for a temporary residence and work permit.
- PLN 100 (≈ $25)Fee for issuing the residence card.
RenewalRenewable
Temporary permits are extended by administrative decision for up to 3 years at a time.
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
Long-term EU resident permit after 5 years of uninterrupted residence, with Polish B1 and stable income. Most temporary permits count; study time counts at 50%.
CitizenshipAfter 3 years as a permanent resident
Citizenship by recognition needs 3 years of uninterrupted residence on a permanent or long-term EU resident permit, plus stable income, housing and Polish language proof.
ProcessingUp to 60 days
Decisions on temporary residence permits are due within 60 days of a complete file and, where required, the fingerprint visit.
Where to applyInside the country
Applied for online in the MOS portal, no later than the last day of legal stay in Poland.
Presence rulesAbsence limits
For permanent or long-term status, absences must stay under 6 months at a time and 10 months in total over the qualifying period.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Poland
- Work rights are limited
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply5
- The main purpose of stay is work and the stay exceeds three months.
- The salary offered may not be below the minimum wage, whatever the hours or contract type.
- The occupation must not be on the district governor’s list of restricted professions, a rule applying from 1 June 2025.
- Entry on a visa for tourism, studies, training, transit, treatment or similar purposes bars the application.
- A long-term visa or residence permit from another Schengen state also bars it, unless mobility rules apply.
What you must show1
- The stamp duty is PLN 440 (≈ $110) and the residence card fee is PLN 100 (≈ $25).
Documents3
- Documents: MOS application, Appendix No. 1 completed by the employer, one digital photo and scans of the whole passport.
- Documents: confirmation of the stamp duty payment, and qualification documents for a regulated profession.
- Persons on a project delivery contract also enclose proof of valid health insurance.
Steps5
- Applications are filed only in the MOS portal, via login.gov.pl; paper applications have no legal effect.
- The employer receives an email invitation, completes Appendix No. 1 in MOS and signs it electronically.
- The applicant signs and submits the application in MOS, then downloads the confirmation of receipt (UPO).
- A fingerprint appointment follows in person.
- A timely, correct application keeps the stay legal until the decision becomes final.
After you arrive4
- The permit is granted for up to 3 years, depending on how long the employer intends to hire.
- The permit allows work only on the conditions in it; another employer needs a new application.
- The holder reports the end of a work contract to the governor within 15 days.
- The residence card is issued after the decision.
What happens at day 183
How Poland decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 3 years at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- More than 183 days in a tax yearStaying in Poland more than 183 days in the tax year makes the person a Polish tax resident.
- Foreign-source income
Persons resident in Poland for tax purposes have unlimited tax liability and settle all income in Poland, earned both in Poland and abroad, using the treaty exemption or credit method for foreign-source income.
All tax rules for Poland Tax records checked
Full official text
Single permit for third-country nationals whose main purpose of stay over three months is work. The foreigner applies in the MOS portal, the employer completes Appendix No. 1 online, and the permit is granted for up to 3 years. 1 2 3
What you must show and pay
- A fee of PLN 440 (≈ $110) · Stamp duty for a temporary residence and work permit. 2
- A fee of PLN 100 (≈ $25) · Fee for issuing the residence card. 3
Requirements
- The main purpose of stay is work and the stay exceeds three months. 1
- The salary offered may not be below the minimum wage, whatever the hours or contract type. 1
- The occupation must not be on the district governor’s list of restricted professions, a rule applying from 1 June 2025. 1
- Entry on a visa for tourism, studies, training, transit, treatment or similar purposes bars the application. 1
- A long-term visa or residence permit from another Schengen state also bars it, unless mobility rules apply. 1
- The stamp duty is PLN 440 (≈ $110) and the residence card fee is PLN 100 (≈ $25). 2 3
- Documents: MOS application, Appendix No. 1 completed by the employer, one digital photo and scans of the whole passport. 1
- Documents: confirmation of the stamp duty payment, and qualification documents for a regulated profession. 1
- Persons on a project delivery contract also enclose proof of valid health insurance. 1
- Applications are filed only in the MOS portal, via login.gov.pl; paper applications have no legal effect. 1
- The employer receives an email invitation, completes Appendix No. 1 in MOS and signs it electronically. 1
- The applicant signs and submits the application in MOS, then downloads the confirmation of receipt (UPO). 1
- A fingerprint appointment follows in person. 1
- A timely, correct application keeps the stay legal until the decision becomes final. 1
- The permit is granted for up to 3 years, depending on how long the employer intends to hire. 1
- The permit allows work only on the conditions in it; another employer needs a new application. 1
- The holder reports the end of a work contract to the governor within 15 days. 1
- The residence card is issued after the decision. 1
Stay
- Granted for up to 3 years, depending mainly on the period the employer intends to hire.
- First stay: up to 36 months, decided case by case.
Nationality
Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
Work only for the employer and on the conditions stated in the permit.
Official sources
- Temporary residence and work permit · Voivodeship Office in Poznań (migrant.poznan.uw.gov.pl) · checked 2026-10-10
- Fees / Stamp duty · Greater Poland Voivodeship Office (Poznan), Migrant Service · checked 2026-10-11
- MOS online application system: questions and answers · Office for Foreigners (gov.pl/udsc-en) · checked 2026-10-10
- Legality of residence — Office for Foreigners · Legality of residence · checked 2026-10-10
- Permit for residence of a long-term EU resident · Official migration authority · checked 2026-10-10
- Uznanie za obywatela polskiego (service card approved 28 May 2026) · Dolnoslaski Voivodeship Office, Wroclaw · checked 2026-10-11
- Zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy i prace - Karta informacyjna (decision within 60 days) · Voivodeship Office (gov.pl information card) · checked 2026-10-11
Work permit (single permit) and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work permit (single permit) | – | 3 yr | Limited |
| Blue Card | – | 3 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Blue Card Portugal | Needs income from €1,726 a month ≈ $1,930 | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Employee visa Spain | – | 1 yr, renewable | Limited |
| D1 work / business visa Georgia | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Work permit (single permit)?
A fee of PLN 440 (≈ $110). Stamp duty for a temporary residence and work permit. A fee of PLN 100 (≈ $25). Fee for issuing the residence card.
How long can I stay on the Work permit (single permit)?
Granted for up to 3 years, depending mainly on the period the employer intends to hire.
How long does the Work permit (single permit) take to process?
Decisions on temporary residence permits are due within 60 days of a complete file and, where required, the fingerprint visit.
Can I work on the Work permit (single permit)?
Limited. Work only for the employer and on the conditions stated in the permit.
Who can apply for the Work permit (single permit)?
Non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the Work permit (single permit) lead to permanent residence in Poland?
Time on the Work permit (single permit) counts toward permanent residence in Poland, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. Time on the Work permit (single permit) counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 3 years as a permanent resident.
How are Work permit (single permit) holders taxed in Poland?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Work permit (single permit). The standard rules apply: 12% on the tax base up to PLN 120,000 (≈ $30,600) and 32% on the excess; tax-reducing amount PLN 3,600 (≈ $920) (page updated 24 June 2026).
More in Poland
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about this route AI
An AI assistant answers from the published records on this page and cites them. It can't assess your personal eligibility. Don't include personal details.
How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 7 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Temporary residence and work permit · Voivodeship Office in Poznań (migrant.poznan.uw.gov.pl) · checked 2026-10-10
- Fees / Stamp duty · Greater Poland Voivodeship Office (Poznan), Migrant Service · checked 2026-10-11
- MOS online application system: questions and answers · Office for Foreigners (gov.pl/udsc-en) · checked 2026-10-10
- Legality of residence — Office for Foreigners · Legality of residence · checked 2026-10-10
- Permit for residence of a long-term EU resident · Official migration authority · checked 2026-10-10
- Uznanie za obywatela polskiego (service card approved 28 May 2026) · Dolnoslaski Voivodeship Office, Wroclaw · checked 2026-10-11
- Zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy i prace - Karta informacyjna (decision within 60 days) · Voivodeship Office (gov.pl information card) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.