A Mazowieckie-based IT services company needed to expand its development team fast. Three of its preferred candidates held Ukrainian, Indian, and Serbian passports. The HR director assumed the process would take two to three weeks. It took four months – and almost cost the company two senior contracts.

Hiring foreign nationals in Poland requires a work permit or equivalent authorisation before employment begins. The process involves the Voivode's Office (Urząd Wojewódzki), the National Court Register (KRS) for employer verification, and – in some cases – the Polish Labour Office (Urząd Pracy). Processing times range from 30 to 90 days depending on permit type and regional workload. Employers who start work before the permit is issued face fines and potential ban from hiring foreign nationals for up to three years.

This case study traces the IT company's path from initial error to compliant workforce. It covers permit selection, the declaration procedure, EU Blue Card eligibility, and the lessons that apply to any Polish employer hiring from outside the European Economic Area.

What went wrong in the initial hiring attempt?

The company's HR team relied on a single document: a statement of intent to employ (oświadczenie o powierzeniu wykonywania pracy cudzoziemcowi – the declaration procedure). This route works for citizens of six designated countries, including Ukraine. It does not cover Indian or Serbian nationals. The HR director discovered this only after the Indian candidate had already relocated to Warsaw.

The declaration procedure allows employment for up to 24 months without a full work permit. It requires registration at the district Labour Office (Powiatowy Urząd Pracy) and takes roughly five to seven working days. For Ukrainian nationals, this was the correct path. For the other two candidates, the company needed a Type A work permit – a standard individual permit issued by the regional Voivode.

The Serbian candidate's situation added a further layer. His role as lead architect carried a gross annual salary above EUR 18,000. That threshold makes him eligible for an EU Blue Card (Niebieska Karta UE), which offers a faster route to permanent residency and free movement within the EU after 18 months. The company had not considered this option at all.

  • Declaration procedure: Ukrainian, Belarusian, Georgian, Moldovan, Russian, and Armenian nationals only
  • Type A permit: any third-country national, employer-specific, tied to named position
  • EU Blue Card: high-skilled roles, minimum salary threshold applies, five-year permit
  • Type D permit: intra-company transfers, minimum three months' prior employment required

How did the firm restructure the process?

Our team at KORDECKI & Partners took over the matter in spring 2025. The first step was a permit audit across all three candidates. The Ukrainian developer's declaration was already registered – valid, no action needed. The Indian developer required an immediate Type A application. The Serbian architect qualified for the EU Blue Card, which we recommended for long-term retention reasons.

For the Indian candidate, the Voivode's Office in Warsaw had a published processing time of 60 days at that point. We submitted a complete application package within four working days of engagement. The package included: the employer's KRS extract, proof of salary meeting the minimum wage threshold (at least the minimum wage in force, then PLN 4,300 gross per month), a certified copy of the candidate's degree, and a stamped employment contract conditional on permit issuance. The permit arrived in 58 days.

The EU Blue Card application for the Serbian candidate required additional documentation. Polish law sets the Blue Card salary threshold at 1.5 times the average gross salary in Poland – currently above PLN 10,000 per month. His contract met this comfortably. We also obtained a recognition of his Serbian engineering qualification through the relevant ministry, which added 14 days to the timeline but secured a five-year permit rather than a one-year Type A.

We secured compliant employment for all three candidates within 90 days of engagement. The company retained both senior contracts that had been at risk. We have since assisted this client with four further permit applications across the Mazowieckie region (autumn 2025).

What are the compliance obligations after the permit is issued?

Permit issuance is not the end of the process. Polish employment law imposes ongoing obligations that many employers overlook. Failure here carries its own penalties – separate from the initial hiring violation. The employer must retain a copy of the foreign national's valid residence document throughout employment. Any change to the position, salary, or working hours specified in the permit requires an amendment or a new permit application.

The employer must also notify the Voivode's Office within seven days if the foreign national fails to start work, or if the employment relationship ends before the permit expires. Missing this notification window can trigger a fine of up to PLN 5,000. For companies with more than 25 employees, the internal compliance framework should also address the ustawa o sygnalistach (Whistleblower Protection Act) reporting channels – a requirement that applies regardless of the nationality of the workforce but which foreign-national hiring programmes often expose for the first time.

Cross-border dimensions also arise. When employees travel between EU member states for project work, A1 certificate obligations apply. For context on how that works in practice for workers moving between Poland and neighbouring countries, see our analysis of posted workers from Czech Republic to Poland and A1 certificates. The same social security coordination rules apply when Polish-based foreign nationals are temporarily posted abroad.

For companies with office or warehouse footprint in Poland, permit addresses must match the actual place of work. If the company later acquires or leases new premises – a situation our real estate practice handles regularly – the permit documentation may need updating. Details on property structuring can be found at our real estate practice page.

What lessons apply to every employer hiring foreign nationals in Poland?

The IT company's experience distills into four transferable lessons. Each reflects a failure mode we see repeatedly across manufacturing, logistics, and professional services clients.

  • Verify nationality before choosing the permit route – the declaration procedure is not universal
  • Build 90 days into any hiring timeline for non-EEA candidates requiring Type A permits
  • Assess EU Blue Card eligibility for high-salary roles – the long-term residency benefit often outweighs the extra documentation
  • Appoint a single internal owner for post-permit compliance notifications

A second client – a logistics operator in Lower Silesia – learned the salary-amendment lesson the hard way in winter 2025. They raised a Ukrainian driver's salary mid-year without checking his permit conditions. The permit specified a salary band. The raise took him above the band ceiling, technically invalidating the permit. We obtained a corrective amendment within 21 days, but the company faced a formal warning from the regional labour inspectorate (Państwowa Inspekcja Pracy – National Labour Inspectorate, PIP).

Employers operating across multiple EU jurisdictions should also review our guide on employment law compliance for Spain companies in Poland, which addresses parallel obligations when staff move between Polish and Spanish entities. The compliance architecture is similar for any multi-jurisdiction employer.

Personal liability for board members is the consequence that focuses minds. Under Polish corporate legislation, a company's management board can be held jointly liable for fines imposed on the legal entity where the violation resulted from a management decision. An illegal employment finding can also preclude the company from public procurement contracts for up to three years – an irreversible commercial consequence for any firm dependent on public-sector revenue.

What to prepare before hiring a foreign national in Poland:

  • Candidate's passport copy and current residence status documentation
  • Employer's up-to-date KRS extract (not older than three months)
  • Draft employment contract specifying position, salary, and work location
  • Candidate's educational or professional qualification documents (certified translation if non-EU)
  • Internal HR calendar with permit expiry dates and notification deadlines

The process is manageable. It rewards preparation and punishes improvisation.

Every foreign-national hiring situation carries specific risks that depend on nationality, role, salary level, and timeline. Acting without a clear permit strategy can result in fines, labour inspectorate proceedings, and loss of procurement eligibility – consequences that are difficult to reverse once triggered.

To receive an expert assessment of your company's foreign-national hiring process, contact info@kordeckipartners.com.

Frequently asked questions

Q: How long does a Type A work permit take in Poland?

A: Processing times at the Voivode's Office vary by region and season. Warsaw typically processes applications in 45 to 90 days. Submitting a complete, error-free application package is the single most effective way to avoid delays. Incomplete applications are returned, restarting the clock entirely.

Q: Can a foreign national start work while the permit application is pending?

A: No – this is one of the most common misconceptions. Work may not begin before the permit is issued, except under the declaration procedure for eligible nationalities. Starting work before permit issuance constitutes illegal employment and exposes the employer to fines of up to PLN 30,000 per employee.

Q: What is the EU Blue Card and who qualifies?

A: The EU Blue Card is a permit for highly qualified third-country nationals. It requires a valid employment contract, recognised higher education qualifications, and a salary meeting the statutory threshold – currently set at 1.5 times the average gross salary in Poland. The Blue Card is valid for up to five years and provides a faster route to EU long-term resident status than a standard work permit.

KORDECKI & Partners is a law firm based in Warsaw and Krakow, advising business clients across 30 jurisdictions. Our team combines expertise in Polish and international law with a practical approach to employment and global mobility matters. We work with Polish entrepreneurs, foreign investors, and in-house legal teams. To discuss your situation, contact info@kordeckipartners.com.

Disclaimer: This publication is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The information herein should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional legal counsel tailored to your specific circumstances. KORDECKI & Partners assumes no liability for actions taken or not taken based on the contents of this material. For advice regarding your particular situation, please contact info@kordeckipartners.com.