Since 2018
For over 8 years, we've helped clients navigate Polish law, combining our solid legal knowledge with practical immigration experience.
Work permits for employees: the employer view
This page is for companies and HR teams that hire foreigners in Poland. It is not about a candidate’s personal path to “get a work permit for myself”. It covers the employer’s duties: pick the right authorisation type, assemble the corporate file, submit the application and avoid breaches of employment rules.
If you are a foreign national looking for a permit for yourself as a worker, see the separate service work permit. Here ONE PLUS works with JDG, Sp. z o.o. and HR departments: from the first offer to the issued authorisation and a later move toward a work-based residence permit.
ONE PLUS has operated officially since 2018, with an office in Wrocław and more than 12 years of practice. On foreign hiring projects we combine legal work with management expertise: Dmitry helps companies align permits, contracts and ZUS so the HR process stays consistent.
The information below is general. The final permit type depends on citizenship, role, duration, voivodeship and the rules in force in 2026. The competent authority always decides.
How this service differs from a permit “for myself”
Page for the worker
The work permit service is usually for someone who wants to understand which document lets them work legally, how a work declaration links to a visa and what happens when the employer changes.
Page for the employer
Here the focus is the company:
- who files: the employer, not the employee;
- which corporate papers are needed: NIP, KRS/CEIDG, contracts, headcount logic, hiring rationale;
- how to avoid PIP findings for letting someone work without a legal basis;
- how to align the permit with salary, job title and a later residence card.
Mixing the two tracks is risky. A candidate may assume they can “handle everything alone”, while the initiative and responsibility for access to work often sit with the employer.
Which permit types HR uses in Poland
Declaration on entrusting work
A simplified track for nationals of selected countries, including Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Armenia. Validity is usually up to 24 months. The employer files. The document is tied to a specific employer and work conditions. A new basis is needed when the company changes.
For Ukrainian citizens already in Poland under special rules, a notification on entrusting work often replaces a classic permit. Details depend on the employee’s status and entry purpose, so HR should not copy another company’s case one-to-one.
Voivodeship work permit
A zezwolenie na pracę from the voivode is needed when the simplified track does not apply. Validity can reach several years depending on type and circumstances. The file is heavier: company documents, employment conditions, sometimes a labour-market test. This is where requests and delays appear most often.
For the candidate-side track see also work permit. For HR, the priority is a correct job title, pay rate, place of work and a match between the company’s PKD and real activity.
Seasonal permit
Used for seasonal work in agriculture, tourism, hospitality and related fields. Validity is limited to a calendar window. An HR mistake is using a seasonal basis for a permanent role. That creates risk for both company and employee.
What the employer should prepare
The package depends on the permit type, but usually includes:
- company data: NIP, REGON, KRS or CEIDG;
- employee data: passport, contact details, qualifications when needed;
- draft contract or employment terms;
- job title, place of work, remuneration;
- proof of fee payment;
- extra annexes required by the voivodeship or labour office.
If the company is still being formed, first complete Sp. z o.o. or JDG registration and set up accounting support. Without a correct employer status, permit filings often stall.
Useful reference points: biznes.gov.pl and current voivodeship office guidance. Portal wording does not replace a review of your specific headcount case.
How the HR process usually runs
- Check the candidate’s status: citizenship, visa, residence card, PESEL UKR, exemption from a permit.
- Choose the track: declaration, voivodeship permit, seasonal permit or notification.
- Align job title, pay and workplace with the real company model.
- Prepare the corporate package and file.
- Monitor authority requests and deadlines.
- Allow work only after a lawful basis exists.
- Plan next steps: renewal, condition changes, move to a residence permit.
ONE PLUS does not replace the office and does not guarantee a positive decision. We reduce refusal and inspection risk caused by the wrong track, contract mismatches or premature access to work.
Employer risks that are often underestimated
Access to work “on trust”
The employee is already on shift while the permit is still pending. For PIP this is one of the most painful scenarios. Fines and reputational damage fall on the company.
Contract and permit mismatch
The permit shows one job title and rate; the contract shows another. That surfaces later at renewal, inspection or a residence filing.
Employer change without a new basis
A permit usually does not “move” automatically to a new employer. The receiving company’s HR must obtain its own basis.
Ignoring changed conditions
Branch address, schedule, pay or work nature changes, but the permit still shows old data. That is a separate risk.
Mixing a company license with a staff permit
If the firm operates in a regulated sector, it may also need a license or concession. That does not replace a work permit for a foreign employee.
How ONE PLUS helps employers
We work with small businesses and international companies across Poland. For HR and owners we:
- audit the candidate’s status before an offer;
- choose the right authorisation type;
- prepare corporate documents;
- coordinate filing and replies to requests;
- connect the case with accounting and ZUS logic;
- plan a move toward a work-based residence permit;
- clarify when the candidate-side work permit service is enough and when a full HR track is needed.
If you hire foreigners and want fewer errors before the first shift, contact ONE PLUS. We will review the role, suggest the right track and prepare a clear filing plan.
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