Workers from the East: countries and legalization paths

Workers from the East employed in Poland are mostly citizens of Ukraine, followed by Belarus, India and Georgia. Citizenships differ mainly by legalization path, and time from decision to first shift depends on it.

How many foreigners work in Poland and where they come from

According to GUS (Statistics Poland), at the end of March 2026 there were 1,152.7 thousand foreigners working in Poland, 8.0% more than a year earlier. 38.0% of them worked exclusively under civil law contracts (zlecenie) and similar. Breakdown by country according to GUS data from the end of February 2026:

Country	Number of workers	Notes
Ukraine	769.3 thousand	67.9% of all foreigners
Belarus	118.9 thousand	second largest group, declaration list
India	22.7 thousand	largest Asian direction
Georgia	21.4 thousand	since Dec 1, 2025, work permit required

In total, foreigners working in Poland come from over 150 countries and work in many sectors, most numerously in administrative and support services and in manufacturing.

Workers from the East: legalization paths by citizenship

The pace of employment depends on the legalization path set by citizenship: notification to the labor office, a declaration on entrusting work (oświadczenie o powierzeniu pracy), or a work permit. Ukrainian citizens staying in Poland under special provisions can start work after the employer notifies the labor office, and the labor office confirms the current rules. Since Dec 1, 2025, the declaration covers four countries: Armenia, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine.

Path	Countries	Office deadline
Declaration on entrusting work	Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Armenia	7 working days, up to 30 days with clarification proceedings
Type A work permit	Georgia, India and other non-EU/EEA countries	2 to 4 months

One declaration covers up to 24 months of work. Office deadlines run from the submission of a complete application.

Ukraine

The largest group of foreigners working in Poland. Formalities depend on the basis of stay: notification to the labor office or a declaration on entrusting work. We describe employment details on the page about workers from Ukraine.

Belarus, Moldova and Armenia

Citizens of these three countries can still work on the basis of a declaration, so the formal path is the same as the declaration for citizens of Ukraine.

Georgia

Georgia dropped off the declaration list on Dec 1, 2025. People with a declaration registered before that date work under the previous rules until it expires. New employment of a Georgian citizen requires a work permit.

India and South Asia

Citizens of India and other South Asian countries need a work permit and a visa, so recruitment should be planned well in advance. In market practice, roughly 4-6 months pass from the employment decision to the first working day. The voivodeship office (urząd wojewódzki) and consulate visa appointments take up the most time.

What the job profile requires

Production workers

Matching a candidate to a specific machine matters more than general "production" experience. The job profile should specify the equipment type, shift system and required qualifications.

Drivers

This group requires the most thorough verification: category C or C+E driving license, initial qualification, current medical checks and a driver card. Recognition of qualifications obtained outside the EU can be a separate procedure that needs to be built into the schedule.

How the legalization path affects recruitment time

Notification and a declaration on entrusting work take the least time to complete, plus the time for the candidate to arrive. With a work permit, add the voivode's procedure, and for people coming from outside Poland also a visa, so such recruitment should be planned over several months.

Describe the position profile and recruitment scale to us, and we will prepare a recruitment and legalization schedule: start with our offer for employers.

Frequently asked questions

Can Georgians still work in Poland under a declaration?

Only until a declaration registered before Dec 1, 2025 expires. New employment of a Georgian citizen requires a work permit, which takes 2 to 4 months to obtain.

Is the number of foreigners working in Poland growing?

Yes. According to GUS, at the end of March 2026 there were 1,152.7 thousand, 85.7 thousand more people than a year earlier.

Which countries besides Ukraine provide the most workers?

According to GUS data from February 2026, the second largest group is Belarus (118.9 thousand), followed by India (22.7 thousand) and Georgia (21.4 thousand).

Are workers from India a growing recruitment direction?

According to GUS data from February 2026, India is the third largest group (22.7 thousand) and the largest Asian direction, but one month of data does not determine a trend. Recruitment from India requires a work permit and visa, so roughly 4-6 months pass from decision to first working day.