Is a foreigner who completed his studies in Poland exempt from the obligation to have a work permit? Considering the large number of students from all over the world who finish their studies in Poland, many employers (including clients of our PRWT accounting office) are wondering what the issue of the legality of employing these people looks like.

The answer to this question is contained in the Polish Regulation of the Minister of Labor and Social Policy of April 21, 2015 on cases in which entrusting work to a foreigner in the territory of the Republic of Poland is permissible without the need to obtain a work permit. This document as his designation say includes a list of cases in which entrusting work to a foreigner does not require a permit. One of such cases is the situation in which a foreigner has completed full-time higher education in Poland (paragraph 1 point 15 of the regulation). Importantly, this provision refers to full-time studies – foreigners who have completed part-time studies are therefore not exempt from the obligation to obtain a work permit. In addition, it should be remembered that the foreigner should present the employer with a diploma confirming completion of university studies in Poland in the full-time mode.