This implies that foreigners who intend to live and work in Poland may benefit from labour shortages and have a higher chance of obtaining a visa if their profession aligns with the country’s labour shortages.

According to the latest EURES report, some of the occupations grappling with labour shortages in Poland are as follows:

1. Building construction labourers
2. Professional drivers (heavy truck/lorry/bus/tram)
3. Building and related electricians
4. Metal working machine tool setters and operators
5. Welders and flame cutters
6. Roofers
7. Carpenters and joiners
8. House builders
9. Cooks
10. Accounting and bookkeeping clerks
11. Social work associate professionals
12. Psychologists
13. Teaching professionals not elsewhere classified
14. Special needs teachers
15. Primary/Secondary/Vocational teachers
16. Physiotherapists
17. Nursing professionals
18. Specialist medical practitioners

On the other hand, Poland has not reported any surplus occupations as per this EURES edition.

How to apply for a work permit in Poland?

If you want to employ a foreigner, you’ll have to apply for a work permit on their behalf at the local Voivodeship office. For this purpose, you’ll need to submit the following documents: 

• The application form

• Proof of paying the application fees

• Proof of the employer’s legal status, issued by the National Court Register

• Records of the employer’s economic activity

• Scans of the employee’s passport 

• A confirmation of the health insurance

• A company deed

• Employer’s profit/loss statements 

• A copy of the employment contract.

Bear in mind that employers who hire foreigners based on a work permit have the same duties towards them as towards Polish citizens. Therefore, before you bring a non-European citizen on board, you should:

• Verify if they have a valid residence permit

• Copy the residence permit, and keep it on file until the employment comes to an end

• Prepare and sign a written contract, in line with the terms of the work permit

• Share a copy of the work permit with your international employee

• Inform the foreigner what they’ll have to do to get the work permit or extend it. 

• Inform the voivode within seven days if the foreigner:

  • doesn’t start working within three months of issuing the work permit 

  • stops working for more than three months

  • ends the employment three months before the expiration of the permit. 

Luckily, if you work with a partner like Remote, you can significantly accelerate this process. We will handle legal eligibility checks on your behalf. All you have to do is ask your employee to submit the right documentation to our platform.  Our expert Mobility team will perform a work eligibility check to make sure the provided work permit is valid. If it turns out that it’s invalid or hasn’t been submitted, we will help you get one as soon as possible.