Poland Work Permit: Requirements and How to Apply

A Poland work permit is the main route for Americans, Brits, Canadians and Australians who want to live and work in Poland, because Poland has no digital nomad, retirement or passive-income visa. In practice a Polish employer applies, either for a work permit or for a combined temporary residence and work permit, and you apply for the visa or residence card that goes with it.

A caution up front: the official Polish work-permit pages could not be retrieved while we researched this guide, so details marked "verify" below come from general knowledge of the rules, which were reformed in 2025. What we confirmed on the Office for Foreigners (UDSC) website are the residence fees and the fact that residence applications go through the MOS portal. Check the Office for Foreigners before you act. For context, see our Moving to Poland guide.

Who qualifies

You need a job offer from a Polish employer. The employer normally starts the process and must show the role, the contract and pay. Other routes exist, such as the EU Blue Card, business, study and family routes, but we have not verified them here. Visa-free visits of up to 90 days in any 180 days do not allow work; track them with the Schengen calculator.

Salary and income requirement

We did not find a fixed national salary threshold on an official page. The general principle (verify) is that pay should not be lower than that of comparable Polish workers in the role. The EU Blue Card has its own, higher salary threshold, which we have not verified. For context, the 2026 national minimum wage is PLN 4,806 gross a month, about €1,097.

Documents you'll need

Lists depend on the permit type and office, so rely on the official checklist. Expect to provide:

• A valid passport
• The employer's application and a signed job contract
• Proof of health insurance or coverage through employment
• Proof of accommodation
• Photographs, biometrics and sworn Polish translations where required

Step-by-step application

1. Secure a job offer and discuss with the employer which permit applies.
2. The employer files for a work permit, or the combined temporary residence and work permit, with the regional (voivodeship) office.
3. You file the residence application through the MOS portal. According to a banner on the Office for Foreigners site, residence applications can only be submitted through MOS from 27 April 2026.
4. Provide biometrics and complete any requests for missing documents.
5. After approval, collect your visa or card and register your address in Poland.

Costs and timeline

The Office for Foreigners fee page lists stamp duty of between PLN 340 and PLN 640 for residence permits (about €78 to €146 at the ECB rate of 2026-10-07), depending on the permit type, plus PLN 100 (about €23) for the residence card. The page does not list work-permit fees. Processing times were not stated on the official pages we could read, so plan ahead and ask the employer about the office's typical turnaround.

Duration and renewal

Work permits are typically tied to a specific employer and role and are often issued for up to 3 years (verify). Renewals depend on continued employment. Long-term EU resident status generally follows 5 years of continuous residence (verify), and citizenship, which we estimate at about 8 years in total, requires B1 Polish; rules have been under review.

Taxes once you're resident

Polish tax residents pay 12% on income up to PLN 120,000 a year (about €27,382) and 32% above, with a 4% solidarity levy over PLN 1 million. Residency generally starts at 183 days or when your center of vital interests is in Poland. The US has an income tax treaty and totalization agreement with Poland, and the UK has a double-taxation treaty. US citizens remain subject to US tax on worldwide income. This is not tax advice, so ask a cross-border tax professional.

Family members

Family reunification is generally possible for permit holders, but the conditions, timing and documents differ by permit type, so confirm them with the Office for Foreigners before you bring relatives.

Alternatives

If you want a visa that does not depend on a Polish employer, look at the remote-worker routes nearby: the Hungary White Card, the Estonia Digital Nomad Visa or the Czech zivno visa for the self-employed. Cities: Warsaw and Krakow.