As of 1 June 2025, new regulations regarding the employment of foreigners come into force, namely the Act of 20 March 2025 on the Conditions for the Admissibility of Entrusting Work to Foreigners on the Territory of the Republic of Poland.

Below are the main changes:

Increased financial penalties

The new regulations introduce increased penalties for illegal employment of a foreigner for both the employer and the employee. The employer will pay a fine ranging from PLN 3,000 to PLN 50,000 instead of hitherto PLN 1,000 to PLN 30,000. For employees, the amount of fine was specified to be no less than PLN 1,000.

Digitalization of the procedure of issuing work permits

The legislator provides for conducting the procedure of issuing work permits, as well as the appeal proceedings, fully electronically. Each party, as well as a foreigner, will be able to check the status of the case on an ongoing basis.

Providing a copy of the contract concluded with the foreigner

The amendment to the Act introduces an obligation to submit a copy of the contract concluded with the foreigner to the appropriate authority, that is, the voivode or the staroste, immediately after issuing the work permit or after registering the declaration of entrusting work. The regulation aims at enabling the authorities to effectively verify the terms of employment of foreigners and to limit the practice of creating fictitious contracts just before a planned inspection.

Elimination of the obligation to conduct a “labour market test”

As of 1 June 2025, the current requirement to obtain the so-called staroste’s information confirming the lack of possibility of the local labour market to meet staffing needs will cease to apply. Nationwide solutions are planned to be introduced in place of this procedure.

Remuneration amount, working time

Pursuant to the Act, the remuneration offered to a foreigner may not be lower than the minimum wage applicable in Poland, nor the remuneration due to domestic employees performing comparable duties. Additionally, requirements regarding working time are provided for in order to obtain a work permit: working time duration may not be less than one quarter of full-time employment and may not exceed full-time employment.

Inspections of foreigners’ employment

New provisions tighten the regulations concerning supervision over the legality of foreigners’ work, expanding the powers of both the Border Guard and the National Labour Inspectorate (PIP). Both authorities have been clearly indicated as entities authorized to conduct parallel inspections at entrepreneurs – the so-called cross-checks – regardless of other ongoing supervisory activities.