Posted Worker
The employee remains employed by a foreign employer and is temporarily sent to Poland.
Residence and work authorisation can involve separate procedures.
🇵🇱 Poland
Posted Worker Residence
Temporary Assignment to Poland by a Foreign Employer
← Back to Poland
Poland provides a dedicated temporary residence pathway for qualifying third-country nationals who are employed abroad and are temporarily posted by a foreign employer to perform professional duties in Poland.
This pathway is designed for genuine temporary assignments and should be distinguished from ordinary employment with a Polish employer and from an Intra-Corporate Transfer.
CETO Global Immigration Consulting & Partners assists international companies and posted employees in assessing Polish residence and employment requirements and coordinates the process together with qualified legal and immigration professionals.
What Is Posted Worker Residence?
The official Polish residence pathway is: TEMPORARY RESIDENCE PERMIT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PERFORMING WORK BY A FOREIGNER POSTED BY A FOREIGN EMPLOYER TO THE TERRITORY OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND.
It applies where a foreign national:
- Works Abroad
- Is Employed by a Foreign Employer
- Is Temporarily Posted to Poland
- Performs Professional Duties in Poland
- and Intends to Remain in Poland for More Than 3 Months
Temporary Assignment
The posting must be temporary.
It is not intended to represent a permanent transfer of the employee's employment to Poland.
The employee remains connected to the foreign employer while carrying out the authorised assignment in Poland.
Foreign Employer
For this immigration pathway, the employee is posted by an employer established outside Poland.
The foreign employer conducts business outside Poland and sends the employee temporarily to perform professional duties in Poland.
Where Can the Employee Be Posted?
Depending on the circumstances, the posting can concern work connected with:
- A Branch of the Foreign Employer
- An Establishment of the Foreign Employer
- A Representative Office
- An Entity Affiliated with the Foreign Employer
The exact structure of the assignment should be reviewed before the residence application is prepared.
Who Can Qualify?
The pathway can potentially be relevant for:
- Third-Country Nationals
- International Employees
- Technical Specialists
- Foreign Experts
- Project Employees
- Employees Performing Temporary Assignments
- Foreign Companies Sending Personnel to Poland
Subject to the applicable immigration and employment requirements.
Work Authorisation
An extremely important distinction applies: THE RESIDENCE PERMIT AND THE RIGHT TO WORK ARE SEPARATE.
The Posted Worker Residence Permit legalises the qualifying residence in Poland.
The employee's right to perform work generally derives from the appropriate WORK PERMIT, obtained through a separate procedure, where such a permit is required.
Work Permit First
Where a Polish work permit is required for the posting, the employee should generally hold the relevant work permit before submitting the Posted Worker Residence application.
Where the employee is legally exempt from requiring a work permit, appropriate employer documentation confirming the intended employment may be required instead.
Important
This differs from Poland's ordinary TEMPORARY RESIDENCE & WORK PERMIT.
The ordinary Temporary Residence & Work Permit is a single permit combining residence and work authorisation. Posted Worker Residence does not operate in the same way.
Purpose of Residence
The genuine purpose of the foreign national's stay must be: TEMPORARY WORK IN POLAND AS PART OF A POSTING BY A FOREIGN EMPLOYER.
The posting must justify residence in Poland for MORE THAN 3 MONTHS.
Legal Stay
The applicant must satisfy the applicable requirements concerning legal stay in Poland when submitting the application.
Certain forms of stay can exclude eligibility.
The applicant's immigration status should therefore be assessed before filing.
Health Insurance
The applicant must demonstrate qualifying healthcare coverage. This can generally include:
- Coverage Under the Polish Public Healthcare Framework
- or Insurance Covering Medical Treatment Costs in Poland
Financial Requirements
The applicant must demonstrate STABLE AND REGULAR INCOME sufficient to cover living expenses for the applicant and qualifying dependent family members.
Current Income Criteria
Under the current requirements, the minimum income criterion is 1,010 PLN per month for a person living independently without dependants.
For a person living within a family, the criterion is 823 PLN per month per family member.
These amounts are statutory criteria and may change. They should therefore be verified at the time of application.
1,010 PLN Per Month
Proof of Income
Depending on the circumstances, evidence can include:
- Posting Letter
- Secondment Agreement
- Employment Documentation
- Salary Documentation
- Other Evidence of Stable and Regular Income
Accommodation
Unlike the ordinary Polish Temporary Residence & Work Permit, the Posted Worker pathway requires the applicant to demonstrate a GUARANTEED PLACE OF RESIDENCE IN POLAND.
Accommodation evidence can potentially include:
- Residential Lease Agreement
- Registration Confirmation
- Declaration from a Person Entitled to the Residential Property
- Other Accepted Accommodation Documentation
Regulated Professions
Where the posted employee will perform a regulated profession in Poland, the applicable professional requirements must also be satisfied. This can include:
- Recognition of Qualifications
- Professional Authorisation
- Registration
- Licensing
- Other Statutory Requirements
Application Procedure
Applications are submitted electronically through Poland's MOS – CASE HANDLING MODULE, under the applicable temporary residence procedure.
The applicant must provide the required electronic application and supporting documentation.
Personal Appearance
The applicant must subsequently comply with the applicable personal appearance requirements before the competent Polish authority. This can include:
- Presentation of Valid Travel Document
- Fingerprints
- Signature Specimen
- Verification of Identity
Competent Authority
The application is handled by the COMPETENT VOIVODE, based on the foreign national's place of residence in Poland.
Appeals are handled by the HEAD OF THE OFFICE FOR FOREIGNERS.
Permit Validity
The Posted Worker Temporary Residence Permit can be granted for the period necessary to achieve the purpose of residence.
The permitted period is MORE THAN 3 MONTHS up to a maximum of 3 YEARS.
Renewal / Continued Residence
The permit is NOT AUTOMATICALLY RENEWED.
Where the employee intends to continue residing in Poland after expiry, a new appropriate residence application must be submitted before the existing permit expires, provided the applicant continues to satisfy the applicable requirements.
Posting Obligations for the Foreign Employer
Immigration permission is only one part of a compliant posting arrangement.
Foreign employers posting workers to Poland can also have obligations under Polish labour and posting legislation. Depending on the circumstances, these can include:
- Notification to the Polish State Labour Inspection
- Maintaining Required Documentation
- Compliance with Applicable Polish Employment Conditions
- Providing Information to Authorities
- Compliance with Working-Time Requirements
- Compliance with Remuneration Requirements
- Compliance with Health & Safety Requirements
State Labour Inspection Notification
A foreign employer subject to Poland's posting rules may be required to submit a declaration concerning the posting to the STATE LABOUR INSPECTION no later than the date on which the provision of services in Poland begins.
Changes to certain information may also trigger notification obligations. These employment-law obligations should be assessed separately from the immigration residence procedure.
Posted Worker vs. Ordinary Work Residence
Temporary Residence & Work
The employee generally performs qualifying employment connected directly with the Polish employment framework.
The residence and work authorisation is handled through a combined single-permit procedure.
Posted Worker vs. ICT
Posted Worker
Designed for qualifying temporary postings by a foreign employer.
ICT
Specifically designed for qualifying Managers, Specialists and Trainee Employees transferred within the same multinational company or corporate group.
Posted Worker vs. EU Blue Card
Posted Worker
Based on a temporary assignment by a foreign employer.
EU Blue Card
Designed for highly qualified employment and subject to specific Qualification Requirements, Employment Requirements and a Salary Threshold.
Examples
Technical Project
A foreign engineering company sends an experienced technical employee temporarily to Poland to perform duties connected with a qualifying Polish project.
The employee remains employed by the foreign company.
If the assignment lasts more than three months and the applicable work authorisation and residence requirements are satisfied, the Posted Worker Residence pathway may potentially apply.
Foreign Company & Polish Affiliate
An international company has an affiliated entity in Poland. A foreign employee is temporarily assigned to perform specific professional duties in Poland.
Depending on Corporate Structure, Employee Position, Nature of Assignment and Employment Relationship, the appropriate pathway could potentially be Posted Worker Residence or Intra-Corporate Transfer.
The correct immigration category should therefore be determined before filing.
Our Process
- 01
Posting Assessment
We review the foreign employer, Polish assignment and proposed duration.
- 02
Immigration Category
We determine whether the circumstances potentially correspond to Posted Worker Residence, ICT, Ordinary Work Residence or another appropriate immigration route.
- 03
Work Authorisation
The applicable Polish work permit requirement or potential exemption is assessed.
- 04
Employment Documentation
Posting, employment, remuneration and assignment documentation is coordinated.
- 05
Financial & Accommodation Documentation
Required income, healthcare and accommodation evidence is prepared.
- 06
MOS Application
The residence application is coordinated through Poland's electronic MOS procedure.
- 07
Biometrics & Immigration Procedure
Personal appearance, biometrics and additional procedural requirements are coordinated.
- 08
Employer Compliance
Where required, applicable Polish posting and employment obligations can be coordinated together with qualified professional partners.
- 09
Residence Card
Following approval, the applicable residence-card formalities are completed.
- 10
Future Strategy
Where the assignment is extended or the employee's role changes, future Polish immigration options can be assessed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can any foreign employer send an employee to Poland?
Not automatically. The posting arrangement, employee and proposed work must satisfy the applicable Polish immigration, employment and posting requirements.
Does the employee need a work permit?
Generally, a relevant work permit is required where no legal exemption applies. The work permit is obtained through a separate procedure.
Is the residence permit also the work permit?
No. This is one of the most important differences from Poland's ordinary Temporary Residence & Work Permit.
How long can the employee stay?
The permit can be issued for more than 3 months and up to 3 years.
Does the employee need accommodation?
Yes. The applicant must demonstrate a guaranteed place of residence in Poland under the applicable requirements.
Does the employee need health insurance?
Yes. Appropriate healthcare coverage is required.
Can the employee work for another Polish company?
The residence basis is the specific temporary posting. It should not be treated as an unrestricted Polish labour-market residence permit. Any proposed change of employment or assignment should be assessed before work begins.
Can the employee remain permanently?
The Posted Worker Residence Permit is temporary. Long-term residence requires separate eligibility and residence-history requirements.
Can the employee work in another EU country?
Not automatically. A Polish Posted Worker Residence Permit does not provide unrestricted employment rights throughout the European Union. Separate EU, national immigration and posting rules can apply.
Who Can We Help?
Posted Worker Residence can potentially be relevant for:
- Foreign Employers
- International Companies
- Technical Specialists
- Engineers
- Project Employees
- International Service Providers
- Employees Temporarily Assigned to Poland
- Companies Coordinating Cross-Border Projects
Related Polish Pathways
Send International Employees to Poland
Cross-Border Employment & Residence Coordination
Poland provides a dedicated residence framework for foreign employees temporarily posted to Poland by employers established abroad.
Successful assignments require coordination between immigration, work authorisation and employer posting obligations.
CETO can assess the proposed assignment and coordinate the immigration process together with qualified legal, immigration and employment professionals.