Employees
4 active casesEmployee case dashboard
A. Nowak
Operator
M. Koval
Driver
I. Petrenko
Warehouse
S. Ivanov
Technologist
Legal employment of foreign nationals in Wrocław and across Poland
The request “legalization of a foreign employee” can mean different tasks: primary permit to work in Poland, continuation of employment, notification, declaration on entrusting work to a foreign national, checking whether an exemption applies or preparation of documents for a residence permit. Therefore, before filing, we check not only nationality, but also residence history, previous documents, future position, proposed salary and the date when the person should begin duties.
The ONE PLUS office is located in Wrocław, but support for employers is not limited to Lower Silesia. Documents and statuses for many procedures can be coordinated remotely, and the method of submission depends on the specific institution and type of case. The company receives a single list of necessary data, responsible persons and next steps - regardless of whether the employee is located in Wrocław, Warsaw, Krakow or another city in Poland.
First we check the right to stay and work
For third-country nationals, legal entry or stay in Poland does not always mean an automatic right to work. The employer must determine whether the individual requires a work authorization document, a registered declaration, notification or exemption. Then the actual work conditions must be checked against the document: the employer, position, proposed salary, working hours and place of performance of duties are important.
Before an employee is allowed to work, we check the original documents and their validity period. The contract is concluded in writing, and an employee who does not speak Polish must receive a version of the employment terms they can understand. If a company is just creating a process for hiring foreigners, it is useful to start with an employment legality audit, rather than correcting the same error in dozens of personal files.
What documents does the employer prepare?
The set of documents depends on the legal basis for work, but the employer almost always needs to confirm its registration details and the actual conditions of employment. It is important to agree in advance on the job title, responsibilities, pay, working hours, location of work and type of contract. If the information in the application, contract and actual work differs, even a correctly issued document may not protect the company from compliance risk.
To submit, you may also need a power of attorney, confirmation of payment of the fee, employer-related attachments, a draft agreement, or additional information about the company’s activities. We create a list for a specific procedure and explain what HR, accounting, the manager and the candidate are preparing. For cases considered by the voivode, you can separately order a voivodship work permit with the application preparation and official correspondence.
A work permit and a residence card solve different problems
A foreigner’s work permit refers to the ability to perform work under certain conditions. A residence document confirms that the person is staying in Poland legally. In some situations, an employee applies for a combined temporary residence and work permit, but even then the employer still needs to prepare its part of the documents in a timely manner and confirm the actual conditions of employment.
It cannot be assumed that simply submitting an application for a residence card always allows you to continue or start work. The answer depends on the previous basis, date and completeness of filing, citizenship, content of valid documents and possible exemption. For employees who associate their stay with employment, we provide separate support for work-based residence card and coordinate the actions of both parties.
Changes after hiring also require control.
The risk does not end once a permit is issued. A promotion, transfer to another position, change in salary, working hours, place of work or employer may require a new document, change of permit or notification to the relevant authority. Therefore, it is important for HR to check the changes before signing the annex to the contract, and not after the employee has already started working under the new conditions.
For a company with several foreigners, we create a simple register: the basis of stay and work, the validity period of the documents, the conditions of the permit, important letters, the next action and the responsible person. This procedure complements the personnel and payroll process. If necessary, it can be linked with accounting services of the company and the general development plan of business in Poland.
Legalizing employees from Ukraine and other countries
When employing Ukrainian citizens, employers often rely on a simplified procedure, but information about citizenship alone is not enough. It is necessary to check the actual status of stay, date of entry, valid documents and whether the company's obligations stipulated for the chosen basis have been fulfilled. If an employee's status has changed, the previous course of action may no longer be appropriate.
For citizens of other countries, the procedure also differs: in one situation a declaration on entrusting work may be suitable, in another a permit is required, and sometimes the person has free access to the labour market. We do not draw conclusions based on a template. First, we check the documents and only then offer to legalize the foreign national’s employment, continue employment, or correct the identified inconsistencies.
Timelines, costs and responsibilities
The timeframe for legalizing an employee cannot be determined from the service name alone. It depends on the type of procedure, completeness of documents, region, current workload of the institution and how quickly the employer and employee submit requested supplements. During the consultation, we separate the stages that we can control from waiting for a decision from a public authority. If the case has already been filed and does not change its status for a long time, we first analyze the chronology and then evaluate the lawful ways to move a delayed voivodeship case forward.
The cost depends on the scope: one permit, employee package, HR audit or ongoing HR support. Before the start of cooperation, we agree the scope of work, the price of the service and external costs. The employer understands what ONE PLUS is responsible for, what data the company provides, what the employee must do, and which decisions remain with the authority.
What does the employer gain from ONE PLUS support?
We start with the facts: who is already working, who the company is just planning to hire, what documents are available and what has changed since their issuance. Then we divide cases into urgent, incomplete and planned groups. For each employee, the employer receives a list of documents, a sequence of actions and an explanation of which stages depend on ONE PLUS, the company, the employee or the public authority.
From our Wrocław office, we support employers throughout Poland. You can entrust us with one case, a package of employees or ongoing HR support. We do not promise a decision from the institution by a date beyond our control, but we help eliminate errors on the employer’s part, respond to requests on time and keep documents up to date. You can start with consultation for the employer or checking an existing process.
4,7
