Hiring Foreigners in Poland Under The New 2025 Rules

What the new digital-first regulations mean for your business.

Since June 2025, the rules for employing non-Polish nationals have changed significantly. The process is now entirely digital, and the burden of reporting has shifted more heavily onto the employer.

If you are planning to hire from outside the EU, you need to be aware of these changes to avoid delays or fines. Here is a breakdown of the new requirements in plain English.

Key Changes You Need to Know

The End of Paper Applications

The entire application process has moved online to the praca.gov.pl portal. You can no longer submit paper forms at local labour offices. To hire a foreign national, your company must have a Trusted Profile (Profil Zaufany) or a qualified electronic signature to sign and submit documents digitally.

Stricter Reporting Deadlines

The authorities now require real-time updates on your foreign staff. You are legally required to notify the labour office within seven days if:

• An employee starts work as planned.
• An employee fails to show up on their start date.
• The employment ends earlier than originally agreed.

Direct Contract Submission

You are now required to upload a copy of the signed employment contract to the labour office. This is to prove that the pay and working hours you promised in the application match what you are actually providing. If the contract does not match the permit, you risk losing your right to hire foreign staff.

Removal of the ‘Labour Market Test’

In a rare piece of good news, the ‘Starosta’ test has been scrapped for most new proceedings. You no longer have to prove that there are no Polish candidates available before hiring a foreigner, which significantly speeds up the recruitment timeline.

Financial Vetting of Employers

To hire from abroad, your company must be in good standing with the state. You cannot apply for permits or declarations if you have outstanding debts with ZUS (Social Insurance) or the Polish Tax Office. Compliance is now a prerequisite for recruitment.

“The 2025 rules make hiring faster in some areas but much stricter in others. The margin for error on reporting is now very slim.”

Why partner with EasyEOR for International Hiring?

1. Managing the Digital Process: Using the praca.gov.pl portal can be frustrating if you aren’t familiar with it. We handle the digital submissions and ensure all your electronic signatures and profiles are set up correctly to avoid technical delays.
2. Real-Time Reporting Support: With 7-day deadlines, it is easy to miss a notification. We track your employees’ start and end dates and handle the filings for you, so you don’t fall foul of the new reporting laws.
3. Expert Contract Drafting: Since the authorities now see your contracts, they must be perfect. We ensure your employment agreements are fully compliant with both the Labour Code and the specific terms of the work permit.
4. Up-to-Date Visa Advice: The list of who can work without a permit changed in 2025 (especially for those under temporary protection). We keep you informed on which candidates need a full permit and which can work on a simple declaration.
5. Ethical Agency Oversight: If you are using temporary agencies to find staff, we can vet them for you. The 2025 rules introduced much stricter penalties for agencies, and as the end-user, you need to ensure your partners are operating legally.
6. Proactive Debt & Status Monitoring: Because you cannot hire if you owe the state money, we monitor your ZUS and tax status as part of our service. We will alert you to any “red flags” in your financial standing before they block your ability to recruit.

Don’t let the 2025 rules slow down your growth.

The new system is designed to be efficient, but only if you know how to use it. Contact us today for a straightforward assessment of your hiring plans.