Residence card and work: what the annotation means

A temporary residence card (karta pobytu) does not always let you work for any employer. The "access to labor market" annotation can be full or limited to a specific company and conditions from the voivode's decision. In the "residence card and work" question, the decision's content decides, not the plastic card itself.

What the "access to labor market" annotation means

The annotation on the residence card comes in two variants, and at first glance they look similar:

The mere presence of the annotation does not say which variant applies to a given person. With a regular temporary residence card, limited access is the most common case. Full access is granted mainly by permanent residence.

Who can work without a work permit

People from the exempted categories under Article 3 of the act of 20 March 2025 on conditions for entrusting work to foreigners (ustawa o warunkach dopuszczalności powierzania pracy cudzoziemcom) can work without a work permit and without a declaration. Among them are:

• spouses and descendants of Polish citizens who hold a temporary residence permit,
• family members of EU, EEA and Swiss citizens,
• people with refugee status, subsidiary protection, permission to stay for humanitarian reasons, or temporary protection,
• holders of the Pole's Card (Karta Polaka),
• doctoral students.

The full list of exemptions and their conditions is confirmed by the voivodeship office.
If the card was issued on another basis, the right to work must be checked in the voivode's decision. When the decision does not grant it, the employer usually then files an application for a type A work permit through praca.gov.pl.

Residence card and work under the single permit

The single residence and work permit (zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy i pracę) combines both matters in one decision, but ties it to a specific employer and employment conditions. The card is valid, the work is legal, but only for the company named in the decision. Taking up work for another employer on your own requires a change of the permit; the existing decision does not transfer to the new company, even with an identical position and salary.

The single permit cannot be extended. Before it expires, a new application is filed, and the residence application must be submitted at the latest on the last day of legal stay. More on this path in the article on the single residence and work permit.

What to do when losing or changing a job

Under Article 121 of the Act on Foreigners (ustawa o cudzoziemcach), the following steps apply:

1. After losing employment with the employer named in the decision, the foreigner (or the employer on their behalf) notifies the voivode in writing within 15 working days.
2. The notification is not needed if, within that period, an application to change the permit to a new employer is filed.
3. After a complete application for change is filed, working for the new employer before the decision is issued may be allowed; whether this applies to a given case is confirmed by the voivodeship office.
4. The residence card itself is not replaced. It is the decision behind the card that changes.

Details for different document types are covered in the article on changing employer and the work permit.

What the employer checks before hiring

The employer must request a valid residence document before work begins. A copy is kept for the whole period of employment and for 2 years from the end of the calendar year in which the employment ended. For a temporary residence card, this is checked:

1. Whether the card is valid.
2. On what basis the residence permit was issued.
3. Whether the decision gives full or limited access to the labor market, tied to a named employer.
4. Whether the position, working time and salary match the decision.

That is why, with limited access, the employer asks for the voivode's decision, not just the card itself.

Waiting for the next card: legal stay, work status to be checked

Residence applications are filed as a rule electronically through the MOS portal; the current filing method is confirmed by the voivodeship office. After the application is accepted, a confirmation of its submission is issued, which replaces the former passport stamp. If the application was filed on time and without formal shortcomings, the stay is, as a rule, legal until the day the decision becomes final. Legal stay does not, however, mean the right to work: that is assessed separately, based on the application's grounds.

If you are looking for work with a residence card, see job offers for employees.

Frequently asked questions

Does changing employer mean the residence card is replaced?

No. Under the single permit, an application to change the permit is filed, and the card stays the same. It is the decision behind it that changes.

How much time is there to report job loss under the single permit?

15 working days from the loss of employment. The notification is sent in writing to the voivode, unless within that time an application to change the permit to a new employer has been filed.

Can you work for a new employer before the change decision is issued?

As a rule yes, if the application to change the permit is complete. Whether this applies to a specific case is confirmed by the voivodeship office.

What decides the right to work: the card or the decision?

The voivode's decision. A card with the "access to labor market" annotation does not show whether access is full or limited to one employer.

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.