Getting a Residence Card Based on an Employment Contract

Working for a Polish employer is one of the most common grounds for obtaining a residence card. Here's how the procedure works, what document you end up with, and what you need for it.

What the "single permit" is

The permit issued on the basis of work is formally called zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy i pracę, commonly known as zezwolenie jednolite, the "single permit". It combines two rights in one document: the right to live in Poland and the right to work at Polish companies, including ones that can arrange an A1 certificate for you and post you to work in Germany. Because of this, you don't need to obtain a residence permit and a separate work permit — everything is handled in a single procedure. A detailed description of the procedure is on the MOS portal.

Once the application is approved, the foreigner is issued a residence card, which, for as long as it is valid, confirms their identity and their right to stay in Poland and to travel within the EU countries in the Schengen area (up to 90 days in any 180-day period), and together with a passport allows multiple border crossings without a visa.

Which type of contract qualifies

A residence card can be obtained on the basis of either an umowa o pracę (employment contract) or an umowa zlecenia (a civil-law mandate contract). The type of contract is stated by the employer in the attachment to the application.

Where to start: an oświadczenie from the employer

Before applying for zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy i pracę, you generally need to have already started working legally in Poland — usually on the basis of an oświadczenie o powierzeniu wykonywania pracy, essentially a job offer registered by the employer. This route is available to citizens of Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova and Armenia.

In our experience, it's better to work for the employer for a couple of months first and only then apply for the card. This improves the chance that the card will be issued not for a short period (say, 6 months) but for the maximum — up to 3 years.

Who can apply

The application is submitted by the foreigner themself, whose purpose of stay in Poland is work. An attachment filled in by the employer is added to the application — it states the terms of employment: role, pay, type of contract. The permit is issued for the expected period of employment stated in that attachment, from 3 months up to 3 years.

What documents you need

• A completed application form for a temporary residence and work permit.
• The employer's attachment with the terms of employment.
• A current contract (umowa o pracę or umowa zlecenia) or a draft of one.
• A passport.
• Documents confirming your address in Poland. The main official document confirming your registered address is a meldunek, and the registration procedure itself is called zameldowanie.
• Photos meeting the document requirements. Many offices can take these on the spot.

The exact list can vary by voivodeship and by your situation — for example, if you are already working for the same employer on a different basis. The current list is usually published by the voivodeship office for your place of residence; as an example, see the Łódź Voivodeship Office page.

How and when to apply

The application is submitted only electronically, through the MOS portal, no later than the last day of your legal stay in Poland. If the application is submitted on time and without formal errors, your stay is considered legal until the final decision is made, even if the process takes a while.

After the electronic submission, an in-person visit to the office is required — there is no remote option. You attend the appointment yourself and collect the finished card yourself. During the visit your documents are checked and your fingerprints are taken. You can bring someone with you to help with translation and communicating with office staff.

How long it takes

It's worth planning for the timelines in advance: waiting for an appointment at the office can take anywhere from 2 to 4 months. After documents are submitted, waiting for the card itself also takes a considerable time — for example, in the Mazowieckie (Warsaw) voivodeship it's 8 to 14 months.

What's worth knowing

The employer and role are fixed in the decision. If you decide to change jobs, this generally requires amending the permit or filing a new application — simply changing employer "in practice" is not enough.

Work abroad under an A1 certificate should remain a secondment. The card is issued for work with a Polish employer, so if you spend almost all your time working in another country, the office may ask questions about the purpose of your stay in Poland when you renew the card.

A refusal can be appealed. If the voivode refuses to grant the permit — for example, because the employer lacks the necessary funds or because the regional limit on such permits has been reached — the decision can be appealed through the voivode to a higher authority.

A residence card is not citizenship, and not a right of residence in another EU country. It confirms the right to live in Poland and to work at Polish companies. The difference between the various residence permit types is covered in the article “Temporary vs Permanent Residence in Poland”.

Where to find current rules

The procedure, timelines and regional limits can change. Check current conditions on the MOS portal and on the website of your voivodeship office, and consult a lawyer for complex cases.

Have questions about your situation? Write to us or browse jobs.

Official sources

• Zezwolenie jednolite (single permit) — MOS portal
• Registering an oświadczenie job offer — zielonalinia.gov.pl
• Work and residence — Łódź Voivodeship Office
• MOS system: electronic applications — Mazowieckie Voivodeship Office