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Documents and paperworkWhat Is an A1 Certificate and Why You Need It to Work in the EU
Updated 2026-09-29
If you work under a contract with a Polish company and are sent to do the job in another EU country, you will usually need an A1 certificate. Below is a general outline; exact requirements should always be checked against official sources.
What is an A1 certificate
It is a document stating which country's social security system you are covered by. For workers temporarily posted by their employer to another EU country, it confirms that contributions continue to be paid in the employer's country, for example in Poland. An A1 certificate protects against paying contributions twice and confirms your right to medical care abroad under your Polish insurance. It is issued for up to 24 months under a single permit.
Who issues it
The employer applies through the ZUS electronic services platform (PUE) — since 2022, paper applications are no longer accepted, and everything is done online. An application can also be submitted by the worker themself or by a self-employed person, but in practice it is almost always the employer who handles it. The worker usually receives the finished document from the employer before departure or in the first few days on site.
How to check that a certificate is genuine
An electronic A1 certificate can be printed, and the printout counts as an official document. The authenticity and validity of any A1 certificate can be verified on the ZUS website: you enter the details from the document and the service confirms whether it is valid.
What the candidate should check
- Whether an A1 certificate has been issued for you and for what period.
- Whether you have a written employment contract with the Polish employer.
Where to find current rules
The rules on posting workers within the EU and on minimum pay rates change. Check the ZUS website and the websites of the authorities in the countries where you will work, and consult a lawyer if in doubt.
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