Less than a year after liberalising parts of its labour-migration system, Warsaw is preparing to close a loophole that had allowed some non-EU nationals to live visa-free in Poland while holding a Polish work permit. According to a draft regulation published by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy on 27 March and reported by Dziennik Gazeta Prawna on 2 April, nationals of Colombia, Georgia and Venezuela will soon be prohibited from working if they enter Poland under the 90-day Schengen visa-waiver – even if the employer has already secured a Type A work permit.
![Draft regulation ends visa-free work option for citizens of Colombia, Georgia and Venezuela]()
For employers and foreign professionals looking to navigate the coming rules, VisaHQ can streamline the entire process of obtaining Polish national D-type visas and residence permits, from document preparation to appointment scheduling and courier delivery of passports; full details and online application tools are available at https://www.visahq.com/poland/
Once the regulation takes effect (expected late April after a 14-day vacatio legis), affected foreigners will need a national D-type visa or a residence card before they can start or continue work. Transitional clauses will allow those who began employment during a visa-free stay before the effective date to complete the current contract. Employers will also be able to keep staff already in place until the next renewal, provided the employee exits and re-enters with the correct documentation. The ministry cites abuse of the visa-free regime – especially in transport, construction and seasonal agriculture – and mounting pressure from Schengen partners as reasons for the clamp-down. Background checks have revealed multiple cases of third-country nationals switching employers and disappearing into the grey economy once inside Poland. Georgia’s inclusion is notable because it already enjoys EU visa-free travel; officials argue that work is explicitly excluded from that privilege. For corporate mobility managers the change means longer lead-times: a national visa application currently takes four to eight weeks in Warsaw and up to 12 weeks in some consulates. Companies using bulk labour subcontractors should request proof that new hires hold a valid Polish visa or residence permit, and update assignment cost models to reflect the PLN 440 visa fee and courier costs. Logistics operators should also monitor truck drivers of the three nationalities, many of whom rotate in on visa-free passports. Although limited to three countries, the policy signals a broader shift towards linking the right to work strictly to the right to stay, and may foreshadow additional country-specific restrictions if irregularities persist.
For employers and foreign professionals looking to navigate the coming rules, VisaHQ can streamline the entire process of obtaining Polish national D-type visas and residence permits, from document preparation to appointment scheduling and courier delivery of passports; full details and online application tools are available at https://www.visahq.com/poland/
Once the regulation takes effect (expected late April after a 14-day vacatio legis), affected foreigners will need a national D-type visa or a residence card before they can start or continue work. Transitional clauses will allow those who began employment during a visa-free stay before the effective date to complete the current contract. Employers will also be able to keep staff already in place until the next renewal, provided the employee exits and re-enters with the correct documentation. The ministry cites abuse of the visa-free regime – especially in transport, construction and seasonal agriculture – and mounting pressure from Schengen partners as reasons for the clamp-down. Background checks have revealed multiple cases of third-country nationals switching employers and disappearing into the grey economy once inside Poland. Georgia’s inclusion is notable because it already enjoys EU visa-free travel; officials argue that work is explicitly excluded from that privilege. For corporate mobility managers the change means longer lead-times: a national visa application currently takes four to eight weeks in Warsaw and up to 12 weeks in some consulates. Companies using bulk labour subcontractors should request proof that new hires hold a valid Polish visa or residence permit, and update assignment cost models to reflect the PLN 440 visa fee and courier costs. Logistics operators should also monitor truck drivers of the three nationalities, many of whom rotate in on visa-free passports. Although limited to three countries, the policy signals a broader shift towards linking the right to work strictly to the right to stay, and may foreshadow additional country-specific restrictions if irregularities persist.
