Declaration or notification? Hiring a foreigner legally

An employer who wants to hire a foreigner can choose from several procedures. The most common are the work permit, the declaration on entrusting work (oświadczenie o powierzeniu wykonywania pracy) and the notification (powiadomienie). The choice depends on the employee's citizenship, the type of work and their residence situation.

Declaration on entrusting work (oświadczenie)

This is a simplified procedure which, in certain cases, allows you to hire an employee without a work permit. It applies to citizens of Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova and Armenia.

• The declaration can be entered in the register for a period of up to 24 months.
• The procedure applies to non-seasonal work.
• The foreigner must have a valid basis for legal residence in Poland.
• The declaration is submitted via the praca.gov.pl system.

Notification of entrusting work (powiadomienie)

The notification is an electronic report of employment, used primarily for Ukrainian citizens entitled to work on this basis. As a rule, the employer submits it via praca.gov.pl within 7 days of the start of work.

A notification may also be required:

• When the employer changes.
• When the position or type of work changes.
• When the type of contract changes.
• With certain changes to pay or working hours.

Work permit

If a foreigner does not have an independent right to work in Poland and cannot use a declaration or a notification, a work permit is needed — most often a work permit type A. For members of company management boards and commercial proxies (prokurenci), a type B permit applies.

How to choose the right procedure?

Whether each procedure can be used depends on the foreigner's individual situation and the applicable regulations. Before hiring, it is worth checking the employee's documents — choosing the wrong procedure may mean illegal employment. Wall Dokument helps employers from Poznań and the whole of Wielkopolska choose the right procedure and prepare the documents.