Poland Changes Work Rules for Georgia, Colombia and Venezuela
Poland Changes Work Rules for Georgian, Colombian and Venezuelan Citizens
Poland is tightening employment rules for citizens of Georgia, Colombia and Venezuela. From 22 August 2026, those staying in Poland visa-free will no longer be able to start work solely on the basis of a work permit.
The new regulation was published in the Polish Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) on 7 August 2026 and will take effect after a 14-day transition period.
What is changing?
From 22 August, citizens of Georgia, Colombia and Venezuela will no longer be able to start working in Poland on the basis of a work permit while staying in the country visa-free.
This does not mean that citizens of these countries are generally banned from working in Poland.
The restriction applies specifically to people who combine:
- a visa-free stay in Poland;
- a work permit (zezwolenie na pracę).
After the new rules take effect, a work permit alone will no longer be sufficient to start employment under a visa-free stay.
What about people who are already working?
The regulation includes a transitional rule.
Citizens of Georgia, Colombia and Venezuela who legally started working under the visa-free regime before the new rules enter into force may continue working under the previous conditions.
However, they may do so only until the end of their permitted visa-free stay.
This means that the actual date on which employment started is important. Having a work permit issued before 22 August does not necessarily mean that the transitional rule applies if the person has not yet started working.
Why does the legal basis of stay matter?
A work permit and the right to stay in Poland are two separate legal matters.
Having a valid work permit does not automatically mean that a foreign national can work under every type of legal stay.
From 22 August, this distinction will become particularly important for Georgian, Colombian and Venezuelan citizens staying in Poland visa-free.
Anyone planning to start work after this date should verify both their work permit and the legal basis of their stay before beginning employment.
Key dates
31 July 2026 — the regulation was signed.
7 August 2026 — it was published in the Polish Journal of Laws.
22 August 2026 — the new rules enter into force.
What should workers and employers do?
Foreign nationals affected by the change should check the legal basis of their stay, the validity of their work permit and the planned date of starting employment.
Employers should also review the status of Georgian, Colombian and Venezuelan candidates who have received work permits but have not yet started working.
The key question after 22 August will no longer be simply whether a person has a work permit, but whether their current immigration status actually allows them to use it.
Legal basis
Rozporządzenie Ministra Rodziny, Pracy i Polityki Społecznej z dnia 31 lipca 2026 r. w sprawie wykazu państw, których obywatele posiadający zezwolenie na pracę nie są uprawnieni do wykonywania pracy w czasie pobytu na terytorium Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej w ramach ruchu bezwizowego.
Journal of Laws 2026, item 1072.
