National legislation defines several groups of people who may take up work in Poland without the need of obtaining a work permit. It is not possible to mention all groups here, so in order to obtain detailed information please refer to the relevant provisions*. An alien entitled to work in Poland without a work permit is a person who:
- has refugee status granted in the Republic of Poland;
- received subsidiary protection in the Republic of Poland;
- has a settlement permit issued by the Republic of Poland;
- holds a EU long-term residence permit in the Republic of Poland or another EU country;
- has tolerated status in the Republic of Poland;
- benefits from the temporary protection in the Republic of Poland;
- is a national of the European Union member state ;
- benefits from the freedom of travelling within the European Economic Area or under the agreement with the EEA;
- is a family member of an alien to whom points number 7-8 refer;
- has a residence permit for a fixed period or any other legal document that allows for the residence in Poland acquired by means of certain family situations (marriage, divorce, death of family member) and his/her descendant having a residence permit for a fixed period
- has a valid Card of the Pole;
- is seeking refugee status or is a spouse of the person on whose behalf the refugee status was requested;
- is working legally in the EEA or Switzerland or is temporarily delegated by the employer to provide services on the territory of Poland;
- is exempt from the need to obtain permission under the agreement or international agreements to which the Republic of Poland is a party;
- is either a citizen of countries bordering Poland or the country Poland cooperates with with regard to the labour migrations and who:
-> works for a period not exceeding 6 months in the subsequent 12 months on the basis of a written declaration of engagement from the employer or an entity authorised to entrust a job to a foreigner on its intention to give him/her a job;
-> works on the basis of a written declaration of engagement from the employer or an entity authorized to entrust a job to a foreigner on its intention to give him/her a job during the permit validity obtained for another job. - is permanently residing and working abroad but is delegated to Poland for up to 3 months a year (in the case of assembly work, maintenance or repair, collection of ordered equipment, machines, training of Polish employers who are recipients of the devices, assembly and dismantling of exhibition stands if the exhibitor is a foreign employer, and other similar activities);
- is a student of full-time studies in Poland or in another EU country;
- is a graduate of the Polish secondary schools, studies, or full-time doctoral studies at t Polish universities (for schools included in the list of the Ministry of Education as meeting the conditions of public schools, regardless of the date of school completion;
- participates in the program carried out within the framework of the European Union or other international aid scheme;
- participates in cultural exchanges and educational and humanitarian aid;
- performs artistic or scientific services 30 days in a year;
- is an academic;
belongs to other groups (foreign language teachers who are delegated to work in cultural institutions, members of the armed forces, permanent correspondents of mass media, athletes, clergymen).
*Article 87 of the Act on promotion of employment and labor market institutions (Journal of Laws 2008 No. 69 item. 415, with amendments.), Regulation of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy of August 30th, 2006 on the work by foreigners without a necessity of obtaining a work permit (Journal of Laws 2006, No. 156, item. 1116, the last amendment: Journal of Laws 2009, No. 21, item. 114).
