From 1 January 2026 Poland is operating under a reformed system for admitting foreigners to the labour market. The headline change: nationals of Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, India, Nepal and the Philippines can no longer work under the simplified oświadczenie o powierzeniu pracy procedure. Instead, they need a full zezwolenie typu A (type A work permit) issued by the wojewoda (regional governor).
This article covers what changed, who is affected, and how to act now.
How things stood until 2025
Until 31 December 2025, Poland operated a special concession: nationals of six countries (Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine) could work for a Polish employer based on an oświadczenie o powierzeniu wykonywania pracy (declaration of entrusting work). This is a simplified document:
- Registered by the employer at the PUP (Powiatowy Urząd Pracy, district labour office)
- Issued within 7 working days
- Stamp duty: 100 PLN
- Valid for up to 24 months continuously
- Not tied to the national minimum wage, unlike full work permits
- No consular visit required
Through 2023-2024 the list expanded to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, India and Nepal - as a temporary measure that was set to expire.
In 2026 it expired.
What changed on 1 January 2026
The October 2025 amendment to the Ustawa o zatrudnianiu cudzoziemców (Act on Employment of Foreigners) sets a new list of countries whose nationals may work on an oświadczenie:
Still eligible for oświadczenie in 2026:
- Belarus
- Moldova
- Ukraine
Lost oświadczenie eligibility in 2026 (zezwolenie typu A required):
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bangladesh
- Georgia
- India
- Indonesia
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Nepal
- Russia (already excluded for most categories since 2022)
- Tajikistan
- Turkmenistan
- Uzbekistan
- Philippines
Why the change: The Polish Interior Ministry argues that the simplified procedure for large labour-source countries created abuse opportunities - some employers issued oświadczenia for fictitious positions for migration purposes. A full zezwolenie typu A with a rynek pracy (labour market) test is meant to close that loophole.
What zezwolenie typu A is
Zezwolenie typu A (formerly "zezwolenie na pracę typu A") is the standard work permit for employment by a Polish employer. It is issued by the wojewoda's office (not the PUP) and follows different rules.
Key differences from oświadczenie:
| Parameter | Oświadczenie | Zezwolenie typu A |
|---|---|---|
| Issuing authority | PUP (district) | Wojewoda (voivodeship) |
| Time to issue | 7 working days | 1-3 months |
| Stamp duty | 100 PLN | 200 PLN |
| Valid for | Up to 24 months | Up to 36 months |
| Labour market test | Not required | Required (some exemptions) |
| Salary requirement | No minimum tie | At least 4,806 PLN gross (2026) |
| Employer-tied | Yes | Yes |
| Change of conditions | Simple | Complex |
The labour market test is a procedure where PUP checks whether the vacancy can be filled by a Pole or EU citizen. It takes 2-3 weeks. If a suitable candidate is found, the wojewoda can refuse the permit. In practice, in most IT, engineering, medical and construction roles the test passes (Poles and EU nationals do not take these jobs).
Impact on karta pobytu
The most important practical consequence: anyone applying for a karta czasowego pobytu on employment grounds must now obtain zezwolenie typu A in parallel. Without it, the karta pobytu wniosek will be returned as formalnie niekompletny (formally incomplete).
What this means for timing:
| Step | Time |
|---|---|
| Employer applies for zezwolenie typu A | 1-3 months |
| Labour market test at PUP | 2-3 weeks (within that) |
| Permit issued | End of previous step |
| Karta pobytu filing in MOS v2.0 | 1 day |
| Karta pobytu decision in Mazowieckie | 8-14 months |
Previously the sequence for nationals of Georgia/Kazakhstan/Uzbekistan was: oświadczenie (7 days) → karta pobytu filing. Now: zezwolenie typu A (1-3 months) → karta pobytu. That's +1-3 months on top of the overall timeline.
Who is not affected
Exemptions from the new rules:
1. Nationals of Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine - continue under oświadczenie. Particularly important for Ukrainians with UKR status, who are exempt from any work permits altogether.
2. Foreigners with an active permit or karta pobytu - if you already hold a karta pobytu based on employment, or an existing zezwolenie typu A, nothing needs to be redone until expiry.
3. Karta stałego pobytu or EU long-term resident card holders - work without any permits.
4. Spouses of Polish citizens (on karta pobytu) - no work permit required.
5. Foreigners on student grounds with karta czasowego pobytu - can work up to 20 hours/week plus full-time during academic breaks, no permit required.
6. Highly qualified workers (EU Blue Card / Niebieska Karta UE) - separate procedure, separate rules.
7. Professions on the "no labour market test" list - around 60 roles: doctors, nurses, software developers, teachers, researchers, athletes. The permit is issued without a labour market test.
What to do if you already work on an oświadczenie
A large block of cases concerns people who were working in Poland on an oświadczenie from a "lost eligibility" country as of 31 December 2025. For example: a Georgian national with an oświadczenie issued for 24 months in August 2025.
Under the reform's transitional provisions:
Existing oświadczenia stay in force until their expiry date. An oświadczenie issued for 24 months before 31 December 2025 runs to its original end date - say August 2027.
On expiry of the old oświadczenie, a zezwolenie typu A is required. You can start the procedure no earlier than 90 days before expiry (in practice).
If you change employer while your old oświadczenie is still valid, the old one ends immediately; the new one needs to be issued as a zezwolenie typu A.
If you move from a karta pobytu issued on oświadczenie grounds to a new karta pobytu (continuation), in most cases a zezwolenie typu A is required for the new period.
What employers must do
The reform shifts the heaviest burden onto employers. If you employ nationals of "lost eligibility" countries:
1. Audit current oświadczenia. Which expire in the next 12 months? Plan a zezwolenie typu A for each one in advance.
2. Prepare for the labour market test. For most occupations, an offer must be filed with PUP and you have to wait 2-3 weeks. If a Polish or EU candidate appears, you may be refused.
3. Standardise salaries. All new contracts under zezwolenie typu A must pay at least 4,806 PLN gross (2026 minimum wage). Lower contracts will not pass.
4. File through PRACA.gov.pl. Electronic filing is now mandatory for most employer categories. Paper applications only in exceptional cases.
5. Employee register. From 2026, employers must maintain a special register of foreign employees and report quarterly to ZUS on any change in working conditions. Fines for missing registers reach 30,000 PLN.
Country-by-country common cases
Georgian national, software developer at a Warsaw IT firm
- Until 2026: 24-month oświadczenie → karta pobytu on employment grounds
- From 2026: zezwolenie typu A for 36 months → karta pobytu
- Change: +2 months for the permit, but IT roles need no labour market test
Uzbek national, nurse at a Kraków hospital
- Until 2026: 12-month oświadczenie
- From 2026: zezwolenie typu A. Nurses are on the "no labour market test" list
- Timing: +1-2 months. Not critical
Kazakh national, construction worker in Warsaw
- Until 2026: 24-month oświadczenie
- From 2026: zezwolenie typu A with labour market test
- Timing: +3 months. The labour market test may add complications
- Alternative: switch to JDG (self-employment) - no permit needed
Armenian national, instructor at a Polish-language school for foreigners
- Until 2026: oświadczenie
- From 2026: zezwolenie typu A. Teachers on the "no test" list
Bangladeshi national, lorry driver
- Until 2026: oświadczenie + Kod 95
- From 2026: zezwolenie typu A + Kod 95 + appropriate driving licence category
- Timing: +3 months for the permit. Labour market test - extra hurdle
What to do right now
If you are a national of a country that lost oświadczenie eligibility:
1. Check the expiry date of your current oświadczenie. If less than 6 months remain, work with your employer to start preparing a zezwolenie typu A.
2. If you are still working, keep going. Existing oświadczenia remain valid until their issued expiry dates.
3. If you are changing employers, the new employer must immediately apply for a zezwolenie typu A.
4. If you plan to apply for karta pobytu this year, discuss with your employer how to sequence the zezwolenie alongside MOS v2.0 preparation.
5. If your zezwolenie typu A application was refused, you can appeal to the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy within 14 days.
For employers:
1. Build a list of foreign employees. Who is on an oświadczenie from "lost eligibility" countries? Note the expiry of each.
2. Budget for the permits. Each one costs 200 PLN in stamp duty + a minimum 2-3 months + an aneks to the contract (4,806 PLN minimum salary).
3. Prepare labour market test justifications. Particularly for roles outside the exemption list. Without preparation, the test can delay you by 6+ months.
Cost comparison
| Item | Oświadczenie | Zezwolenie typu A |
|---|---|---|
| Filing fee | 100 PLN | 200 PLN |
| Labour market test | - | 0 PLN (2-3 weeks of time) |
| Minimum wage tied | No | 4,806 PLN gross |
| Legal support | 600-1,200 PLN | 1,500-2,500 PLN |
| Total time | 7 working days | 1-3 months |
| Employer minimum | 700 PLN + 7 days | 1,700 PLN + 2 months |
Employer costs have risen 2-3x. That explains why smaller employers are reluctant to take on workers from "lost eligibility" countries in 2026, and why many are switching to Belarusians and Ukrainians.
When to bring in a lawyer
If you are a national of Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan or another "lost eligibility" country, your oświadczenie is probably still active and no rush is needed. A lawyer is worth engaging when:
- Your oświadczenie expires in the next 6 months
- You are switching employers in 2026
- Your employer refuses to apply for a zezwolenie typu A (often because of cost and time)
- You received a refusal in PUP or at the wojewoda
- You are filing for karta pobytu in 2026 and need to sequence the documents correctly
LegalWin has handled zezwolenia typu A for both foreigners and employers since 2019. Free 30-minute diagnostic - we map your case and the realistic timeline given current PUP and Mazowieckie wojewoda workloads.
Book a zezwolenie typu A consultation →
This article is informational. Specific timelines and outcomes depend on your case and nationality. For individual situations, consult a qualified lawyer.
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