Work in Gliwice for foreigners: zone and automotive

Work in Gliwice for foreigners is mostly production and warehouse work on a shift system, concentrated around the economic zone with a strong automotive presence. The profile differs from Katowice: fewer services and offices, more line positions.

Economic zone in Gliwice: industries

An economic zone operates in Gliwice, where automotive, metal and construction companies work, surrounded by a chain of parts and component suppliers.

For a foreign worker this means three things:

most job offers involve assembly, machine operation, quality control and warehouse work,
work usually runs on a shift system, so the schedule sets the rhythm of the day,
onboarding takes longer than in a simple warehouse, because the position has takt time and quality standards.

What line work itself involves and what it requires is described in the text about work in the automotive industry.

How much work is there in Gliwice for foreigners in 2026

The unemployment rate in the city of Gliwice is among the lowest in the region and is clearly below the voivodeship and national averages. With unemployment this low, plants in the zone recruit foreigners more often.

Besides automotive, employers here include logistics centers by the A1 and A4 motorway junction, chemical and plastics processing plants, and technology companies linked to the technical university. For someone without Polish, warehouse and assembly remain the easiest entry points. Office and technical positions usually require the language.

How to legalize work in Gliwice

The paperwork depends on citizenship and the length of work. The table compares the two most common routes.

Feature	Declaration on entrusting work (oświadczenie o powierzeniu pracy)	Work permit (zezwolenie na pracę)
Who can use it	citizens of countries named in the regulations, the current list is confirmed by the labor office	other foreigners not exempt from the permit requirement
Where to file	District Labor Office (Powiatowy Urząd Pracy), via praca.gov.pl	voivodeship office (urząd wojewódzki), via praca.gov.pl
Deadline	entry in the register within 7 working days, up to 30 days with a clarifying procedure	2 to 4 months
Maximum work period	24 months	as stated in the permit

Since June 1, 2025, work permit applications and attachments are filed exclusively electronically at praca.gov.pl. If formal deficiencies are found, the office requests corrections within 7 days of delivery of the notice.

To register a declaration, the employer attaches:

a declaration that the employer has no criminal record,
the employer's identity document,
scans of the foreigner's passport pages or another identity document.

After work starts, the employer has 7 days to report this fact to the Labor Office (PUP). If work does not start on the declared date, the deadline is 14 days. In temporary work, the agency handles this paperwork as the employer. This is how Amer operates within employment legalization and temporary work.

Where to handle matters in Gliwice

Matters concerning the employment of foreigners, including declarations, are handled by the District Labor Office in Gliwice (Powiatowy Urząd Pracy), and applications are filed via praca.gov.pl. Work permit applications and residence matters are handled by the Silesian Voivodeship Office (Śląski Urząd Wojewódzki). Registration of residence (meldunek) is handled at the city office responsible for the place of residence. A foreigner can apply for a PESEL number in person at any municipal office, with a passport or residence card.

Getting to the industrial zone without a car

Gliwice lies at the western edge of the metropolitan area and has rail and bus connections with Zabrze, Bytom and Katowice. Some plants, however, stand by motorway junctions, outside the dense public transport network.

Before accepting an offer, check three things:

the start time of the first and last shift,
whether a bus or night line runs to the plant at that hour,
whether the offer includes company transport, and where the pickup points are.

How to calculate commute time and cost is described in the text about commuting in the Silesian metropolis. A broader view of the region is in the Silesia labor market overview.

Who Gliwice is a good choice for

Gliwice suits people ready for shift work who are looking for longer-term industrial employment. It makes less sense for someone who wants a single shift or a service job: there are fewer such offers here than in Katowice. Current offers, including from Gliwice and the surrounding area when available, are published in job offers for employees.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need to know Polish for line work in Gliwice?

Not always. Language requirements for assembly and warehouse work tend to be low, but each offer states them separately. Technical positions, quality control with documentation, and office work usually require Polish.

How long does registering a declaration on entrusting work take in Gliwice?

The PUP in Gliwice enters the declaration in the register within 7 working days, or within 30 days if a clarifying procedure is needed.

Where in Gliwice do you file a work permit application?

The application is filed exclusively electronically via praca.gov.pl, and is processed by the Silesian Voivodeship Office. The decision takes 2 to 4 months.

What is the unemployment rate in Gliwice in 2026?

The unemployment rate in the city of Gliwice is among the lowest in the region and is clearly below the voivodeship and national averages.

This text describes the general rules. What you are entitled to depends on your type of contract: an employment contract (umowa o pracę) or a contract of mandate (umowa zlecenie). Your own contract and payslip are what count.