A Polish work permit is applied for by the employer, online, through the praca.gov.pl service. Paper applications are no longer accepted, the labour market test has been abolished, and since 1 January 2026 the old type A to E application forms have new names. For most jobs with a Polish employer, the employer files the application known as ZC-WWZPP, pays a fee of PLN 400 for work longer than three months, and receives a decision from the voivode that can be valid for up to three years. This guide walks through the procedure step by step for employers and explains what workers should check. All rules were checked on 11 November 2026 against official Polish sources.

Who this guide is for

This guide is for employers in Poland who want to hire a citizen of a country outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, and for workers who want to understand what their future employer must do. It covers the standalone work permit (zezwolenie na pracę), which the employer obtains and which the worker then uses to apply for a work visa or to work while already staying legally in Poland.

It does not cover the combined temporary residence and work permit, which a worker already in Poland applies for through a different system. That route is explained in our guide on how to apply for a Polish residence permit online. Citizens of Armenia, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine may also be employed on the basis of a declaration, which is a separate procedure explained in our guide to the declaration of entrusting work.

What changed in 2025 and 2026

A new Act from 1 June 2025

The rules on employing foreigners are now set by the Act of 20 March 2025 on the conditions for entrusting work to foreigners in Poland, which has applied since 1 June 2025. The labour office in Warsaw summarises the main changes, including the end of the labour market test, which means an employer no longer needs a statement from the local labour office that no suitable Polish candidate is available (Warsaw Labour Office).

Online filing only

Under the new rules, the application for a work permit and the documents that go with it are filed through the praca.gov.pl system. An application filed in any other way is left without consideration. Any appeal in a work permit case is also filed through praca.gov.pl (Zielona Linia). The voivodeship office in Kielce explains that the same portal is used to supply missing documents, to appeal and to report that a foreign worker has started or finished work (Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship Office).

New names for the applications

From 1 January 2026, praca.gov.pl no longer offers applications called type A, B, C, D or E. They were replaced by new application names. The application for a work permit for work for a Polish entity, called ZC-WWZPP, replaced the former type A permit, and the application for a permit linked to holding a specific function, called ZC-WWZF, replaced the former type B permit (Zielona Linia). Many older articles still use the letters A to E, so it helps to know both names.

Higher fees from 1 December 2025

New fees apply to applications filed from 1 December 2025: PLN 200 for a permit for up to three months, PLN 400 for more than three months, PLN 800 for a posted worker and PLN 100 for a seasonal work permit (Lubuskie Voivodeship Office).

Which application to choose

Other situations, such as workers posted by a foreign employer, use their own applications. If you are unsure which one fits, check the list of applications on praca.gov.pl or ask the voivodeship office before filing, because choosing the wrong type can lead to a refusal or a request to correct the application.

Before you start: what the employer needs

An account on praca.gov.pl

The employer needs a user account on praca.gov.pl and a way to sign documents electronically as the system requires. Many employers set this up well before the first application so that a hire is not delayed by technical steps.

The worker's details

The application uses the worker's personal data and passport details. Ask the worker for a clear copy of the passport data page and check that names and dates are spelled exactly as in the passport. Inconsistent spellings across documents are a common reason for requests to correct an application.

The job details

Prepare the job title, the place of work, the type of contract, the working hours and the gross pay. The pay must not be lower than the pay of workers doing comparable work for the same employer (Warmia-Masuria Voivodeship Office), and it must respect the minimum wage, which is PLN 4,950 gross per month and PLN 32.30 per hour from 1 January 2027 (Journal of Laws 2026, item 1213).

The fee

Pay the correct fee for the type and length of permit and keep the proof of payment, because it is attached to the application.

Step by step: filing the application

1. Log in to praca.gov.pl and choose the correct application, usually ZC-WWZPP for a job with a Polish employer.
2. Enter the employer's data, including the registration details of the business.
3. Enter the worker's data exactly as in the passport.
4. Describe the job: position, place of work, contract type, hours, pay and the planned period of work.
5. Attach the required documents listed by the system for that application, including proof of the fee.
6. Sign and send the application electronically.
7. Save the confirmation that the application was received.

After filing, watch the praca.gov.pl account. If the authority asks for missing information, it will set a deadline. Missing that deadline can lead to the application being left without consideration.

How long a permit can last

A work permit is issued for a fixed period of no more than three years (Zielona Linia). The period depends on what the employer applies for. If the job will last longer than the permit, an extension must be requested in time, as explained below.

After the decision

If the permit is granted

The permit is issued for a specific employer, position and conditions. If the worker is abroad, the worker uses the permit to apply for a national work visa at a Polish consulate. Our guide on how to apply for a Poland work visa after your permit explains that stage. If the worker is already in Poland, the employer must check that the worker's current basis of stay allows work. Under the 2025 rules, fewer types of national visa allow work even when a work permit has been issued, for example a visa issued for a family visit or for education other than studies (Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship Office).

If the permit is refused

An appeal against a work permit decision goes to the minister responsible for labour through the voivode, within 14 days of delivery (Wielkopolska Voivodeship Office). It is filed through praca.gov.pl. Read the reasons in the decision carefully. If the problem can be fixed, for example a pay level below the minimum, a corrected new application may be quicker. Our guide on why work permits are refused in Europe lists common reasons.

The employer's duties after approval

Getting the permit is not the end of the employer's obligations. Polish voivodeship offices set seven-day deadlines for several notifications, for example where work starts, does not start or ends early (West Pomeranian Voivodeship Office). The employer must also register the worker for social insurance within seven days, which is explained in our guide to social security registration for foreign workers.

The worker may only be employed on the conditions in the permit. Since 8 July 2026, moving the worker from a civil law contract to an employment contract no longer requires a new permit, provided the other conditions of employment do not change (Zielona Linia). Other changes, such as a different position or lower pay, need more care. See changing job terms in Poland without losing your permit.

Extending a work permit

If the worker will keep doing the same job for the same employer after the permit ends, the employer should apply for an extension in time. Zielona Linia explains that where the extension application for the same employer and position is filed on time and has no formal defects, or the defects are corrected on time, the worker may continue working until the decision becomes final (Zielona Linia). Filing late removes this protection, so the extension date belongs in the employer's calendar from the start.

If the worker is already in Poland

Employers sometimes hire a foreigner who is already living in Poland, for example on a visa for another purpose or on a residence card linked to a different employer. Before filing, check two things. First, does the worker's current basis of stay allow work at all? Second, would a temporary residence and work permit be the better route? A worker who already stays legally in Poland and plans to remain more than three months for work usually applies for the combined permit through MOS, with the employer's annex, instead of relying on a standalone work permit. See how to apply for a Polish residence permit online. If the worker currently holds a permit for another employer, read changing job terms in Poland without losing your permit before the worker resigns.

Polish terms you will see

• Zezwolenie na pracę: work permit.
• Podmiot powierzający pracę: the entity entrusting work, usually the employer.
• Wojewoda: the voivode, the regional authority that issues work permits.
• Pozostawienie bez rozpoznania: leaving an application without consideration, for example if it was not filed through praca.gov.pl.
• Odwołanie: appeal.

Common mistakes

• Using an old type A guide. The application names changed on 1 January 2026, and fees changed on 1 December 2025.
• Setting pay at the 2026 minimum for a 2027 job. The minimum rises to PLN 4,950 from 1 January 2027.
• Assuming the permit lets the worker travel. It does not. A visa or residence permit is still needed.
• Letting the worker start before the permit is issued. Work must not begin until the permit and a suitable basis of stay are in place.
• Missing the notification deadlines. Seven days is short, so assign the task to one person.
• Applying late for an extension. A late application can interrupt lawful employment.

What workers should check

If an employer says it will apply for a permit for you, ask for the name of the employing company, the application type, the job title and the gross pay that will appear on the permit. Check that the employer is a real registered business, for example in the National Court Register (eKRS). The permit fee is paid by the employer. If anyone asks you to pay a large sum for a work permit, read our guide on how to spot a fake job offer for Europe before you pay anything.

Keep a copy of the permit once it is issued. You will need it for the visa application and later for any residence application. If you want a wider overview of Polish work routes, see our guide on Poland work visa requirements.

Planning a realistic timeline

Official sources do not give a single processing time that applies to every case, and decisions can take longer at busy offices. A realistic plan for an employer hiring from abroad has three stages: the work permit, the consulate visa appointment and decision, and travel. Each stage has its own waiting time. Build in a margin before the planned start date, and do not sign a lease or book travel for the worker on the assumption that every stage will be quick.

For employers who also need to understand residence permits, contracts and pay rules, our overview of how to hire foreign workers in Poland covers the wider process.