Single residence and work permit: rules and timeframes

The single residence and work permit combines the right to temporary stay and the right to work in one voivode decision. The foreigner does not need a separate work permit, but any change of employer, position or working hours may hit the basis of their stay immediately.

Who applies for the single residence and work permit

The application is filed by the foreigner the permit is issued for, not by the employer. This is the opposite of a standard work permit, which the company applies for. The employer supplies the foreigner with documents about the employment, but the party to the proceedings is the employee.

Residence applications are filed as a rule electronically through the MOS (Moduł Obsługi Spraw) portal. Once the application is filed, the system issues a confirmation of filing. The procedure is changing, so it is worth checking the current way of filing and the list of documents with the voivodeship office.

The application must be filed at the latest on the last day of legal stay. If it is filed on time and without formal deficiencies (or the deficiencies are corrected within the set time), the stay remains legal until the decision becomes final.

How long the procedure takes

The 60 day period runs from the complete application. A request to correct deficiencies therefore pushes the case back, and failing to correct them on time results in the application being left unexamined. How to put the documents together correctly the first time is described in the article on documents for a residence card application.

What goes into the decision and the residence card

The decision states the entity entrusting the work, the position, the minimum pay and the working hours. These are the same elements a work permit would describe, just in one document. A residence card issued on this basis carries a note about access to the labour market. The differences between cards issued for different purposes are covered in the article on temporary residence card and work.

The legal basis today is two acts: the act of 12 December 2013 on foreigners (the residence part) and the act of 20 March 2025 on the conditions for entrusting work to foreigners (the work conditions).

What the employee gains, and what gets more complicated for the employer

The employee runs one proceeding, files one set of documents and tracks one expiry date. Over a longer stay, that means fewer visits to the office and fewer chances of missing a date.

On the employer's side, the same feature works the other way. Since the work terms are written into the residence decision, changing the contract stops being a purely HR matter. With a standard work permit, the consequences of a mistake affect only the job; here they also affect the right to stay.

A change of employer, position, working hours or type of contract requires one of two applications. The regulations provide exceptions to this, and whether a given situation falls under them is confirmed by the voivodeship office. The possible applications are:

• an application to amend the single permit,
• an application for a new single permit.

Before signing an annex, check whether the element being changed is entered in the decision. If it is, the matter does not end with the annex. The general rules for leaving for another company are described in the article on changing employer and the work permit.

What to do after losing a job

The foreigner reports the loss of the job with the employer named in the decision to the voivode who issued the permit, within 15 working days. The law gives a limited time to find new employment before the voivode revokes the permit.

Practical conclusion: on this basis of stay, it is worth discussing any planned job change with the employer in advance and checking whether it requires an application to amend the permit.

When this path makes sense

The single permit fits when the stay is meant to be longer and the employment stable with one employer. For short jobs or frequent changes of company, it is often simpler to keep stay and work on separate bases. Both paths are compared in the article on legalizing a foreigner's stay in Poland.

Frequently asked questions

Can the employer file the application for the employee?

No. The application for the single permit is filed by the foreigner alone. The employer prepares the documents about the employment that go into the application.

What if I file the application on the last day of my stay?

It is still on time. An application filed at the latest on the last day of legal stay, and without formal deficiencies, keeps the stay legal until the decision becomes final.

Does every change to the contract need a new application?

Not every one. As a rule, an application to amend or for a new permit is needed for a change of employer, position, working hours or type of contract, though the regulations provide exceptions. For every change, check whether that element is entered in the decision, and if in doubt ask the voivodeship office.

How does the single permit differ from a work permit?

A work permit covers only work and the employer applies for it. The single permit covers both stay and work, and the application is filed by the foreigner, so work and residence matters are handled together.

The rules on residence and employment of foreign nationals change often, and much depends on citizenship, the basis of stay and the situation of the particular person. This text describes the general course of the procedure. Before filing documents, confirm the current state of affairs at the voivodeship office.