Posted workers from France to Poland – A1

A French manufacturing company wins a contract to install specialist equipment at a facility near Wrocław. The project runs for four months. Three French technicians will travel to Poland, work on-site, and return home. The company assumes that because Poland and France are both EU member states, no paperwork is needed. That assumption is wrong – and it can be costly.

French employers posting workers to Poland must obtain an A1 certificate for each posted worker before the assignment begins. The A1 certificate confirms that the worker remains subject to French social security legislation during the posting, preventing double contributions in both countries. Under EU social security coordination rules, a posting can last up to 24 months before the worker's social security affiliation must shift to the host state.

This guide walks through the A1 procedure step by step – who applies, where, how long it takes, and what happens when the certificate is missing. It also covers three business scenarios, common mistakes, and practical cost considerations for French companies entering the Polish market.

What is an A1 certificate and why does it matter for French postings to Poland?

The A1 certificate is a portable document issued under EU Regulation 883/2004 on the coordination of social security systems. It confirms which country's social security legislation applies to a worker during a cross-border assignment. For a French employer posting workers to Poland, the certificate confirms that French social insurance – covering health, pension, and workplace accident contributions – continues to apply throughout the posting period, which may last up to 24 months.

Without an A1 certificate, the Polish Social Insurance Institution (Zakład Ubezpieczeń Społecznych, ZUS) may treat the worker as subject to Polish social security from day one. That triggers an obligation to register the worker with ZUS and pay contributions at Polish rates. The employer then faces double contributions – continuing French payments alongside new Polish obligations – until the situation is resolved. Resolving it retroactively can take months and involves correspondence between French and Polish authorities.

Polish labour inspectors from the National Labour Inspectorate (Państwowa Inspekcja Pracy, PIP) carry out on-site checks at construction sites, manufacturing plants, and logistics hubs. Inspectors routinely ask for A1 certificates. A missing certificate is treated as a compliance failure. The inspectorate can issue administrative fines and notify ZUS to open a contribution audit. For companies with ongoing or repeat projects in Poland, that audit risk is not theoretical – it materialises.

The A1 certificate also matters for the worker personally. Without it, the worker's entitlement to French sickness benefits, pension accrual, and accident insurance during the Polish assignment may be disputed. Getting the certificate protects both sides of the employment relationship.

How does the A1 application procedure work in France?

The A1 certificate for a posted worker is applied for by the employer in the country of origin – France. The competent authority is the relevant French social security fund, typically the Urssaf for most private-sector employers. The application is submitted online through the Net-Entreprises portal. The employer must notify the posting before the worker departs; retroactive applications are possible but create compliance risk and may be queried by Polish inspectors.

The application requires the following core information: the worker's personal details and French social security number, the employer's registration details, the name and address of the Polish host entity, the start and end dates of the posting, and a description of the work to be performed. The posting must meet the substantive conditions under EU coordination rules – the employer must ordinarily carry out significant activities in France, and the worker must have been employed by that employer for at least one month before the posting begins.

Processing time in France typically runs between two and four weeks for straightforward cases. Complex cases – involving multiple simultaneous postings, workers who have recently changed employers, or workers who have already used part of their 24-month posting allowance in another EU state – take longer. Employers running tight project timelines should submit applications at least four weeks before the departure date. Late submission does not automatically invalidate the certificate, but it creates a gap period during which the worker has no document to present to Polish inspectors.

Submit the A1 application via Net-Entreprises before the posting starts
Confirm that the worker has been employed in France for at least one month
Verify that the 24-month posting limit has not been reached or exceeded
Keep a copy of the certificate accessible on the Polish work site at all times
Notify Urssaf promptly if the posting is extended or terminated early

We assisted a logistics operator in the Mazowieckie region in obtaining A1 certificates for six French drivers seconded to a Warsaw distribution hub (winter 2025). The employer had started the assignment without certificates. We coordinated with the French Urssaf, provided the required documentation, and secured retroactive certificates within three weeks – avoiding a ZUS contribution audit that had already been flagged by PIP inspectors.

What are the parallel obligations in Poland when posting French workers?

The A1 certificate resolves the social security question, but it does not exhaust the employer's obligations under Polish law. Poland implemented the EU Posted Workers Directive through the Act on Posting of Workers. Under that legislation, a foreign employer posting workers to Poland must notify the Chief Labour Inspector (Główny Inspektor Pracy) of each posting before work begins. The notification is submitted electronically and must include the employer's details, the worker's details, the host entity, the work location, and the planned duration. Failure to notify carries a fine of up to PLN 30,000.

Beyond notification, the posting employer must ensure that the worker receives at least the minimum conditions of employment guaranteed under Polish law. These include the Polish statutory minimum wage – PLN 4,666 gross per month from January 2026 – maximum working time rules, minimum rest periods, and health and safety standards. For construction postings lasting more than 30 days, enhanced conditions apply, including equal pay benchmarked against collective agreements in the relevant sector.

The employer must also designate a representative in Poland to liaise with PIP during any inspection. That representative must be reachable during the posting and able to present employment documents – the employment contract, payslips, working time records, and the A1 certificate – within a reasonable time after a request. Polish law does not require these documents to be held physically on-site at all times, but inspectors expect them to be produced within 24 to 48 hours.

For foreign companies unfamiliar with Polish procedures, the notification and document obligations are often underestimated. An employment law compliance guide for companies posting workers to Poland sets out the full matrix of obligations that apply regardless of the sending country.

What are the three business scenarios French companies face?

The practical implications of A1 rules vary depending on the type of posting. Three scenarios arise frequently for French employers entering the Polish market.

Scenario one – project-based posting in manufacturing or construction. A French engineering firm sends a team of specialists to Poland for a defined project lasting two to five months. This is the most straightforward case. The employer applies for individual A1 certificates for each worker, completes the PIP notification, and ensures minimum wage compliance. The main risk is timeline: if the project is awarded quickly and mobilisation is fast, the employer may not leave enough time for the A1 to be processed before departure. Building a four-week buffer into the mobilisation plan eliminates that risk.

Scenario two – IT services posting. A French software company posts a developer to a Warsaw client for eight months to implement a system. The social security question is straightforward – the A1 applies for the full duration. The complication arises if the developer is formally self-employed (auto-entrepreneur) in France. Self-employed persons can obtain an A1 certificate, but the substantive conditions differ. The developer must demonstrate that they ordinarily work in France and that the Polish assignment is temporary. Polish authorities have increased scrutiny of IT postings where the worker's actual employer-employee relationship is unclear, which connects to wider B2B reclassification risk discussed in this analysis of PIP enforcement powers in 2026.

Scenario three – intra-group secondment. A French parent company seconds an executive to its Polish subsidiary for 18 months. This scenario is common but legally complex. The worker is employed by the French entity but works under the direction of the Polish company. The 24-month A1 limit applies. If the secondment extends beyond 24 months, the worker must be registered with ZUS and the A1 framework no longer applies. Planning the secondment duration carefully – and setting a review date at month 18 – avoids an unintended shift in social security affiliation. French nationals acquiring property in Poland during longer secondments face additional considerations covered in this guide on property acquisition for French nationals.

What are the most common mistakes and how can they be avoided?

The most frequent error is treating the A1 certificate as optional documentation rather than a legal prerequisite. Some French employers operate on the assumption that EU free movement of workers eliminates all formalities. It does not. Free movement governs the right to work across borders; social security coordination rules govern which country's system applies. These are separate legal frameworks with separate compliance requirements.

A second common mistake is failing to update the certificate when a posting is extended. If a worker is posted for three months and the project overruns by six weeks, the original A1 certificate may no longer cover the extended period. The employer must apply for an extension or a new certificate before the original expires. Polish inspectors checking documents on-site will identify a certificate that has lapsed – and treat the uncovered period as a compliance gap.

A third mistake involves workers who have recently been posted to other EU states. The 24-month limit is cumulative across all postings within a rolling period. A worker who spent 14 months posted to Germany has only 10 months of A1 coverage available for a subsequent Polish posting. Employers who do not track each worker's posting history risk applying for certificates that cannot lawfully be issued – or receiving certificates that are later challenged by ZUS.

Finally, some employers confuse the A1 certificate with a work permit. Citizens of EU member states – including France – do not need a work permit to work in Poland. The A1 certificate is a social security document, not a work authorisation document. These are entirely different instruments. The absence of a work permit requirement does not reduce the importance of the A1.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Does a French worker posted to Poland need a work permit?

A: No. French nationals are EU citizens and benefit from free movement of workers within the EU. They may work in Poland without a work permit or any form of work authorisation. The A1 certificate is a social security coordination document and is entirely separate from immigration or work permit requirements. The EU Blue Card and other work permit instruments apply only to non-EU nationals.

Q: How long does the A1 certificate process take, and can it be rushed?

A: Standard processing by the French Urssaf takes two to four weeks for straightforward cases. There is no formal expedited procedure. Employers with urgent timelines should submit the application as early as possible – ideally at the same time as contract negotiations are concluded, not after signing. If a worker departs before the certificate is issued, the employer should carry documentary evidence that the application is pending and follow up immediately on receipt.

Q: What happens if a PIP inspector finds that an A1 certificate is missing?

A: The National Labour Inspectorate can issue an administrative fine of up to PLN 30,000 for each infringement related to posting obligations. The inspector will also notify ZUS, which may open a social security contribution audit covering the period without a valid certificate. In the worst case, the employer faces retroactive ZUS contributions, penalties, and interest. Employers who proactively contact ZUS before an inspection – and demonstrate good-faith efforts to obtain the certificate – typically receive more favourable treatment than those discovered during a check. Whistleblower protection rules in Poland do not directly affect this process, but internal reporting channels for compliance failures can help employers identify A1 gaps before inspectors do.

Every posting situation has specific features that affect the procedure, timeline, and risk profile. A four-month construction project carries different compliance priorities than an 18-month executive secondment. Getting the structure right at the outset avoids retroactive corrections that cost more than the original procedure.

To receive an expert assessment of your posting structure and A1 obligations, contact info@kordeckipartners.com.

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 law, cross-border postings, and workforce compliance. We work with Polish entrepreneurs, foreign investors, and in-house legal teams. To discuss your situation, contact info@kordeckipartners.com.