International students can work in Poland without a work permit in many cases, but not automatically. Full-time students at a Polish university may work without a work permit or declaration, provided the university meets the obligation set in the Act on Foreigners or is exempt from it, and has not been banned from admitting foreigners. Part-time students generally do not get this exemption and need a permit or declaration unless another rule applies. Since 1 June 2025, graduates of Polish universities may also work without a permit, whether they studied full-time or part-time. In every case the student needs a valid basis of stay, and employers must check both the student's stay and the right to work. This guide explains the conditions, the exceptions and the checks. All rules were checked on 11 November 2026 against official Polish sources.

Who this guide is for

This guide is for citizens of countries outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland who study, or plan to study, in Poland, and for employers who want to hire them. EU, EEA and Swiss students can work in Poland on the same terms as Polish citizens and do not need this guide.

The main rule: full-time students

The exemption

Zielona Linia explains that foreigners who are full-time students in Poland (studia stacjonarne) can work without a work permit or a declaration of entrusting work. It adds an important condition: the university must meet the obligation set out in the rules, or be exempt from it (Zielona Linia).

The university condition

Zielona Linia's guidance for employers, current as of 28 September 2026, specifies that the university must meet the obligation referred to in Article 144(5) of the Act of 12 December 2013 on Foreigners, and must not be the subject of a decision banning it from admitting foreigners under Article 144a(1) of that Act (Zielona Linia). In practice, this means the exemption depends not only on your mode of study but also on the status of your university. Ask your university's international office to confirm its status in writing.

Student status alone is not enough

Zielona Linia stresses that being a student is not enough on its own. An employer should first check that the foreigner's stay is legal and that the foreigner has the right to work in Poland (Zielona Linia).

Part-time students

Studies in part-time mode (studia niestacjonarne) do not as a rule give the exemption. If no other basis allows work without additional formalities, the employer must meet the relevant obligations, such as obtaining a work permit or registering a declaration (Zielona Linia). See how to apply for a Poland work permit online and the declaration of entrusting work.

Other exemptions that may apply

The exemption for full-time students is not the only one. A regulation lists further situations in which a foreigner may work without a work permit or declaration, and some of them can apply to students (Zielona Linia). The voivodeship office in Poznań publishes a checklist for employers of situations in which a work permit is not required (Wielkopolska Voivodeship Office). If you are not a full-time student at a qualifying university, check whether another exemption fits your case before assuming you need a permit.

Graduates

University graduates

Under the rules in force since 1 June 2025, the exemption from the work permit requirement extends to foreigners who are graduates of Polish universities, whether their studies were full-time or part-time. The previous rules covered only graduates of full-time studies (Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship Office).

Secondary school graduates

Zielona Linia explains that foreigners who graduated from Polish upper-secondary schools and obtained vocational qualifications as described in the rules can work in Poland without a work permit or declaration. The exemption is not limited to jobs in the occupation in which they qualified, but they must have an appropriate residence title (Zielona Linia).

Graduates still need a basis of stay

The exemption concerns work, not residence. A graduate whose student residence permit ends needs another basis of stay, such as a temporary residence and work permit or another permit that fits their situation. See how to apply for a Polish residence permit online.

Your residence as a student

Applying for a residence permit for studies

If you will stay longer than your visa allows, you apply for a temporary residence permit for studies. The Poznań office explains that you must submit the application through MOS no later than the last day of your legal stay, and that you need a new account in the current MOS portal, because accounts from the previous version were not transferred (Wielkopolska Voivodeship Office).

Visas and work

Under the 2025 rules, fewer national visas allow work. For example, a visa obtained for education in a form other than studies does not allow work even if a work permit has been issued (Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship Office). If you came to Poland for a language course or another form of education, check carefully before taking a job.

Leaving Poland during your case

If you leave Poland while your residence case is pending and do not appoint a representative, you should at least appoint a representative for receiving correspondence in Poland (Wielkopolska Voivodeship Office). See staying legally in Poland while your application is pending.

Quick reference

Contracts, pay and insurance

Students who work are entitled to the same pay rules as other workers. From 1 January 2027, the minimum wage is PLN 4,950 gross per month for full-time employment, and the minimum hourly rate for certain civil law contracts is PLN 32.30 (Journal of Laws 2026, item 1213). Social insurance rules can differ depending on the contract and the worker's age and status, so ask the employer, or the Social Insurance Institution, how you will be insured. See Poland minimum wage 2027 and employment or civil law contracts for foreigners.

What employers must check

1. Legal stay. Check the student's visa or residence card, and its expiry date.
2. Mode of study. Obtain a current certificate confirming full-time studies.
3. University status. Confirm that the university meets the Article 144(5) obligation or is exempt, and is not subject to a ban under Article 144a.
4. Ongoing status. Recheck at the start of each semester. A student who drops out or moves to part-time study loses the exemption.
5. Insurance. Register the worker for insurance where the contract requires it (Social Insurance Institution).
6. Records. Keep copies of the documents you checked.

What students should check

• Your mode of study: full-time or part-time.
• Your university's status, confirmed in writing by the international office.
• Your residence document and its expiry date.
• Your contract: pay, hours and the employer's full legal name.
• What happens to your right to work if you change your studies.

If you stop studying

If you finish, interrupt or drop your studies, or move from full-time to part-time study, the student exemption may no longer apply. You may also lose the basis for your residence permit for studies. Before the change happens, check whether you will need a work permit, a declaration or a different residence permit.

Worked examples

A full-time student at a qualifying university

A student from Nigeria studies full-time at a university in Łódź that meets the legal condition. She holds a temporary residence permit for studies. She can take a part-time job in a café without a work permit. Her employer keeps a copy of her residence card and a current certificate of full-time studies, and registers her for insurance where her contract requires it.

A part-time student

A student from India studies part-time in Warsaw. Part-time study does not as a rule give the exemption, so his employer must obtain a work permit or another valid basis unless a different exemption applies.

A new graduate

A student from Kazakhstan graduates from a Polish university. Under the rules since 1 June 2025, she can work without a work permit. Her residence permit for studies is ending, so she applies through MOS for a temporary residence permit that matches her new situation before her legal stay ends.

A language course student

A student from Egypt came to Poland on a visa for a Polish language course. The visa was issued for education other than studies, so it does not allow work even if a permit is obtained. He does not take a job until he has a basis of stay that allows work.

Balancing work and studies

Working while studying can help with living costs and experience, but your residence permit for studies is based on your studies. If work begins to affect your attendance or progress, your university status, and with it your residence permit and work exemption, may be at risk. Keep your studies on track and check with your university what happens if you fall behind or need to repeat a year.

Polish terms you will see

• Studia stacjonarne: full-time studies.
• Studia niestacjonarne: part-time studies.
• Uczelnia: university or higher education institution.
• Zaświadczenie o studiach: certificate of studies.
• Absolwent: graduate.
• Zwolnienie z obowiązku posiadania zezwolenia na pracę: exemption from the work permit requirement.

Where to get official help

• Zielona Linia, the information centre of the public employment services, answers questions about employing foreigners on 19 524 and publishes guidance at zielonalinia.gov.pl.
• The voivodeship office handling your case can answer questions about residence procedures and deadlines.
• The MOS portal has a contact form for questions about residence procedures and the portal itself (MOS portal).
• Your university's international office can confirm your study mode and the university's status in writing.

Internships and practical placements

Many study programmes include internships or practical placements. Whether a placement is treated as work for immigration purposes depends on its nature and on the rules that apply to your situation. Ask your university how the placement is organised and confirm with the employer which legal basis covers it before you start. Do not assume that an unpaid or short placement needs no legal basis. If you are not covered by the full-time student exemption, check the list of other exemptions published for employers (Wielkopolska Voivodeship Office).

Your next steps

1. Confirm your study mode and ask your university to confirm its status in writing.
2. Check that your residence document is valid and plan any renewal through MOS.
3. If you are a part-time student, check whether another exemption applies before taking a job.
4. Give your employer copies of the documents it needs and keep them up to date each semester.
5. Plan ahead for graduation, when your residence basis may change.

Working after a residence permit for studies ends

A residence permit for studies is linked to your studies. When you graduate, the permit does not automatically turn into a permit for work. If you want to stay and work, apply for the permit that matches your new purpose of stay, through MOS, before your current legal stay ends. Your exemption from the work permit requirement as a graduate concerns work only, so you still need a valid residence basis.

Students who plan to stay in Poland after their studies should think about their next permit well before graduation day, so that there is no gap between the end of one basis of stay and the start of the next.

Common mistakes

• Assuming every international student can work without a permit.
• Not checking whether the university meets the legal condition.
• Working on a visa for language study.
• Continuing to work after dropping out or moving to part-time study.
• Letting the residence document expire while focusing on work.

For an overview of all routes to legal work in Poland, see our guide on Poland work visa requirements.