Immigration & Residency in Poland

Poland provides a Temporary Residence Permit for the Purpose of Conducting Business Activity for qualifying foreign nationals conducting genuine business activities in Poland.

The business must satisfy applicable economic and immigration requirements.

Third-country nationals who intend to work in Poland for a period exceeding three months may potentially qualify for a Temporary Residence and Work Permit.

Poland participates in the EU Blue Card framework for highly qualified third-country nationals performing work requiring high professional qualifications.

The EU Blue Card also provides important intra-EU mobility and long-term residence advantages.

International companies may temporarily transfer qualifying employees from a company established outside the European Union to a host entity in Poland belonging to the same company or corporate group.

Foreign employers may temporarily post qualifying employees to Poland for specific professional duties or services.

This is different from ordinary employment with a Polish employer and from an intra-corporate transfer. Specific immigration, employment and posting requirements apply.

Poland provides immigration and employment mechanisms for qualifying seasonal work in recognised seasonal sectors, subject to specific employment and duration requirements.

International researchers carrying out qualifying scientific research or development activities in Poland may obtain a dedicated residence permit.

Researchers who already hold qualifying researcher residence in another EU Member State may potentially carry out part of their research activities in Poland under EU researcher mobility rules.

Different rules apply to short-term and long-term mobility.

International students admitted to qualifying Polish higher-education institutions may obtain temporary residence for the purpose of studies.

Eligible graduates of Polish higher-education institutions may have access to residence pathways allowing them to remain in Poland while preparing for their professional future.

Poland provides residence pathways for qualifying family members of eligible foreign residents.

Specific residence rules apply to qualifying third-country national family members of Polish citizens.

The appropriate procedure depends on the family relationship and individual circumstances.

Citizens benefiting from European free-movement rights do not use the ordinary third-country immigration system and may generally live and work in Poland under EU free-movement rules.

Where residence exceeds the applicable period, registration requirements apply. Separate rules apply to qualifying third-country national family members.

Qualifying third-country nationals who have established long-term legal and uninterrupted residence in Poland may potentially obtain EU Long-Term Resident status.

The standard pathway generally requires five years of qualifying legal and uninterrupted residence in Poland. Different rules determine which residence periods count fully, partially or are excluded.

Special residence calculation rules apply to qualifying EU Blue Card holders — qualifying residence periods in different EU Member States may contribute toward EU Long-Term Resident status.

For qualifying applicants, Poland applies special rules allowing certain residence periods outside Poland to be taken into account.

A third-country national who already holds EU Long-Term Resident status issued by another EU Member State may potentially obtain temporary residence in Poland through a dedicated pathway.