Temporary residence and work permit

When should I apply?

You should apply for a temporary residence permit if you wish to stay in Poland for a period exceeding 3 months and your primary purpose of stay is work.

You should apply for a residence permit in person before your current legal status expires (i.e. before your visa or residence card expires).

If you apply to extend your stay in Poland before the expiry date of your legal status, you can legally remain in Poland while your application is pending. Make sure you have submitted an error-free application. Your passport must be valid at this time.

If you entered Poland on a Schengen visa or a national visa issued for the purpose of:

  • tourism;
  • visiting family or friends;
  • participating in sports events;
  • engaging in cultural activities;
  • attending conferences;
  • pursuing first-cycle (Bachelor's), second-cycle (Master's), or long-cycle Master’s studies, or studying at a doctoral school;
  • vocational training;
  • other forms of education or training;
  • transit;
  • airport transit;
  • receiving medical treatment;
  • participating in a cultural or educational exchange program;
  • humanitarian aid program;
  • holiday work program;

and you apply for a single temporary residence and work permit, your application will not be accepted, and the proceedings will not be initiated.

Additionally, if you are staying in Poland based on:

  • a long-term visa issued by another Schengen state,
  • a residence permit issued by another Schengen state (unless you are benefiting from mobility within Poland), or
  • an entry permit issued by the Commander of a Border Guard post (as specified in Article 32(1) of the Act on Foreigners),

and you apply for a single temporary residence and work permit, your application will also not be accepted, and the proceedings will not be initiated.

Before you apply, read our tips on how to fill in an application form.

Where should I apply?

  1. Visit the website mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl and create an account.
  2. Review the information and the list of common mistakes.
  3. Fill out the application for a temporary residence permit.
  4. Include your email address in the application. Once your application is registered by the Office, you’ll receive an access code to track the status of your case.
  5. Print the application form and sign it.
  6. Send the printed form along with the required attachments via postal service to the Department for Foreigners in Poznań or one of our regional offices.

Submit the application no later than the last day of your legal stay in Poland. If you send the application via Poczta Polska, the date of submission will be the date it is posted at the post office.

The next step will be an in-person appointment to submit your fingerprints. During the visit, you will also complete other documents required to obtain a stamp in your passport.

Learn how to submit fingerprints.
Learn how to track the status of your case.

What documents do I need?

Documents required to obtain a stamp in your passport (i.e. formal requirements)

PAY ONLINE

Documents required to be granted a temporary residence and work permit:

  • Annex No 1 (download here) to the application for the temporary residence permit confirms a purpose of stay exceeding 3 months and a health insurance (applies to persons employed on the basis of regular employment contract or contract of mandate).

In Annex 1 to the application, the employer provides information regarding the amount of salary offered  for your work, which may not be lower than the minimum wage for work regardless of the number of working hours and the type of contract on the basis of which you perform the work. The conditions of work entrustment contained in the Annex No 1 must be consistent with conditions resulting from other documents, such as your employment contract, labour market test, etc.

What should I know?

Read our guide

During the proceedings, make sure to inform us about any change related to your job, current place of living or mailing address.

The permit is granted for not longer than 3 years. This period depends primarily on the time for which your employer intends to hire you.

Your permit entitles you to work in Poland only on the conditions specified therein. You cannot work for another employer on its basis. 
There are some exemptions from this rule, e.g. if you have received a temporary residence and work permit as a graduate of a Polish upper secondary school, full-time university studies or full-time doctoral studies at a Polish university.

It is your responsibility to inform the Governor, who issued your permit about the termination of your work contract. You need to do it within 15 days from termination of work.  If you do not do this, we may refuse to grant you another temporary residence permit.
If you want to work for another employer, you must re-apply for a new permit. If you fail to do it, we may start the procedure of revocation of your last permit, because the purpose of your stay which you declared previously has ceased.

I have received my decison - how to get my residence card now?

The residence card is issued after you have received your decision with your permit. Read How to receive residence card?

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FAQ

What type of health insurance is required in order to obtain a temporary residence and work permit?

  • If you work on the basis of an employment contract or a contract of mandate, submission of additional health insurance policy is not required;
  • If you perform work on the basis of a project delivery contract, you need to submit...
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My application is being processed by the Governor of the Wielkopolska Province but I would like to move to another province? Should I submit a new application?

No. Make sure you inform us that you changed place of residence and provide your new address. Your application will be forwarded to proper Governor whose territorial jurisdiction complies...

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My employee's residence card is about to expire and a new application has been filed. Is my employee allowed to legally work/ stay in Poland/ travel to his country of origin and re-enter the territory of Poland, on the basis of the stamp in passport?

  • If the foreigner continues to work for the same employer/industry on the same conditions of employment as those indicated in previous residence permit, s/he can legally work;
  • If work is performed on different conditions than those indicated in the...
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The foreigner is employed by a temporary employment agency and has a temporary residence card. Can he or she be directly employed by the user-employer? Will the card be still valid?

If the foreigner wants to work directly for the user-employer who was indicated in the decision, he/she has to obtain a new residence and work permit (submit another application), and inform the Governor about termination of the employment within 15 days.

I applied for temporary residence and work permit and I'm still waiting for my decision to be issued, but I lost my job. Will my application be still examined?

  • You should inform us about it and provide your current correspondence address. We will send you a notice in which you will be requested to submit documents confirming your purpose of stay in Poland. In you still want to work in Poland, submit Annex No 1....
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