The Association of Business Service Leaders (ABSL) has published the first comprehensive business guide to Poland’s sweeping reform of foreign-worker rules, in force since 1 January but only now being felt on the ground. Under the new law every interaction with immigration authorities—applications, correspondence, even delivery of decisions—must be lodged through the government portal praca.gov.pl and signed with a trusted electronic signature. Paper dossiers are legally deemed ‘not filed’.
For HR teams the headline change is timing. A scanned copy of the signed employment contract must reach the authorities before a foreigner starts work; failure to upload on time voids the underlying work permit or declaration. Contracts in other languages now require a sworn Polish translation. Employers must also store all immigration paperwork for the entire employment period plus two further years—effectively doubling retention obligations.
For employers and assignees trying to navigate these stricter rules, VisaHQ can simplify the process. Through its Poland desk (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) the company pre-screens applications, arranges sworn translations, and files documents electronically, ensuring they meet the portal-only submission requirements and helping organisations avoid costly delays or rejections.
![Poland’s 2026 immigration overhaul: what employers must do as procedures go 100 % digital]()
Notification duties have been tightened. Companies must report non-commencement, interruption or early termination of work within strict new deadlines (two months for permits, seven to fourteen days for declarations). Provincial governors gain explicit power to refuse permits where employers have outstanding tax or social-security arrears, or where a candidate previously held a Polish permit but never took up the job. The labour-market test has been formally abolished, but authorities may impose quota caps or negative occupation lists at any time—a tool observers say could appear later in the year if unemployment ticks up.
Fees have quadrupled: PLN 400 for standard permits, PLN 800 for posted workers and EUR 200 for national visas. Penalties for illegal employment rise to PLN 50,000 per foreigner, and labour inspectors may now arrive unannounced—often alongside Border Guard teams. The reform also pares back visa-free work: foreigners entering on Schengen visas issued by other states, or on Polish visas for tourism, studies or medical reasons, are no longer allowed to work unless specifically exempted.
Strategic enterprises—mainly firms enjoying investment incentives—are the big winners. They jump to the front of the queue for permits, visas and residence cards, giving them a recruitment edge in Poland’s tight labour market. ABSL and its expert partner EY warn that multinationals must audit their end-to-end immigration workflows, secure qualified e-signatures for authorised signatories and train staff on the portal’s error-messaging system to avoid costly rejections. Companies that adapt quickly could still meet Q2 hiring targets; laggards risk project delays and fines.
For HR teams the headline change is timing. A scanned copy of the signed employment contract must reach the authorities before a foreigner starts work; failure to upload on time voids the underlying work permit or declaration. Contracts in other languages now require a sworn Polish translation. Employers must also store all immigration paperwork for the entire employment period plus two further years—effectively doubling retention obligations.
For employers and assignees trying to navigate these stricter rules, VisaHQ can simplify the process. Through its Poland desk (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) the company pre-screens applications, arranges sworn translations, and files documents electronically, ensuring they meet the portal-only submission requirements and helping organisations avoid costly delays or rejections.
Notification duties have been tightened. Companies must report non-commencement, interruption or early termination of work within strict new deadlines (two months for permits, seven to fourteen days for declarations). Provincial governors gain explicit power to refuse permits where employers have outstanding tax or social-security arrears, or where a candidate previously held a Polish permit but never took up the job. The labour-market test has been formally abolished, but authorities may impose quota caps or negative occupation lists at any time—a tool observers say could appear later in the year if unemployment ticks up.
Fees have quadrupled: PLN 400 for standard permits, PLN 800 for posted workers and EUR 200 for national visas. Penalties for illegal employment rise to PLN 50,000 per foreigner, and labour inspectors may now arrive unannounced—often alongside Border Guard teams. The reform also pares back visa-free work: foreigners entering on Schengen visas issued by other states, or on Polish visas for tourism, studies or medical reasons, are no longer allowed to work unless specifically exempted.
Strategic enterprises—mainly firms enjoying investment incentives—are the big winners. They jump to the front of the queue for permits, visas and residence cards, giving them a recruitment edge in Poland’s tight labour market. ABSL and its expert partner EY warn that multinationals must audit their end-to-end immigration workflows, secure qualified e-signatures for authorised signatories and train staff on the portal’s error-messaging system to avoid costly rejections. Companies that adapt quickly could still meet Q2 hiring targets; laggards risk project delays and fines.
