Certain categories of foreigners can perform work in the territory of the Republic of Poland without having to complete additional formalities. This is referred to as the so-called free access of foreigners to the labor market in Poland, which essentially means that you already hold a document that entitles you both to legally reside in Poland and to legally take up employment.

1. Free access to the labor market is granted, among others, to foreigners who meet one of the following conditions:

• they are family members of an EU, EEA, or EFTA citizen accompanying them in the territory of Poland,
• they hold a permanent residence permit issued in Poland,
• they hold a long-term EU resident permit issued in Poland,
• they have been granted refugee status or benefit from subsidiary protection in Poland,
• they hold a residence permit in Poland for humanitarian reasons or tolerated stay,
• they benefit from temporary protection in the territory of Poland (holding a certificate issued by the Head of the Office for Foreigners – not to be confused with a PESEL number with the ‘UKR’ status),
• they hold a temporary residence permit for the purpose of studying at a university or conducting scientific research,
• they hold a temporary residence permit for family members of a Polish citizen,
• they hold a temporary residence permit for the purpose of “family reunification” (spouse/child of a foreigner legally staying in Poland),
• they hold a temporary residence permit for victims of human trafficking,
• they hold a temporary residence permit in Poland obtained in connection with a long-term EU resident permit granted by another EU member state,
• they hold a temporary residence permit in Poland granted to a family member of the foreigner referred to in the previous point,
• they hold a national visa for the purpose of conducting scientific research or development work.

1. Additionally, some foreigners, although they do not have free access to the labor market, also do not need a “separate” work permit because, as part of their residence permit, they automatically obtain permission to perform specific work (2 in 1). This will be the case if:

• you hold a temporary residence and work permit – you are entitled to perform work for the entity specified in the residence permit without the need to obtain an additional work permit, or
• you hold a temporary residence permit for the purpose of serving on the management board of a legal entity (e.g., serving as a member of the board of a limited liability company), or
• you hold a temporary residence permit for the purpose of performing work in a profession requiring high qualifications (the so-called “Blue Card”), or
• you hold a temporary residence permit for the purpose of conducting business activity, or
• you hold a temporary residence permit for the purpose of long-term mobility of a Blue Card EU holder issued by another EU member state, or
• you have submitted an application within the appropriate timeframe for the issuance of another temporary residence and work permit for the same employer.

III. The third group of foreigners who can work in the territory of the Republic of Poland without the need to have a work permit are foreigners who hold an appropriate
residence title in Poland

and:

• holding a valid Polish Card, or
• being graduates of secondary schools (e.g., high school, technical school, post-secondary school), or
• being graduates of a university located in the territory of the Republic of Poland, or
• holding a doctoral degree awarded by a doctoral institution operating within the Polish higher education and science system, or
• being doctoral students at a doctoral school run by an institution located in the territory of the Republic of Poland, or
• one of the cases applies to them in which a foreigner entitled to stay in the territory of the Republic of Poland may perform work without a work permit. These cases will be specified in a regulation issued by the minister competent for labor matters.