Glossary

Glossary of HR and work-legalisation terms

The same explanations that open the “i dlaczego” links in the guide — collected in one place.

legal state 07/2026

• How to use this guide

  The steps show what to do and when. The "i" icons open an explanation of why it works this way and where the traps hide — written in the language of a business owner, not a lawyer.

  Choose at the top whom you are hiring: the path and the deadlines differ depending on the basis for labour-market access.

• Does citizenship decide which work permit is needed?

  The document decides the procedure, not the passport. A foreigner has free access (zero permits) if they hold, among others: permanent residence or EU-resident status, a Pole's Car…

• Can someone applying for international protection work legally?

  If a foreigner has applied in Poland for international protection (asylum), their right to work depends on the stage of the case, not on the application itself.

• Why is there a six-digit occupation code (KZiS) in the contract?

  KZiS is the official classification of ~2500 occupations; the six-digit code goes into the oświadczenie, the contract and reports. The authority compares the code and pay from the…

• Can you hire a foreigner who has no PESEL number yet?

  A recently arrived foreigner often does not yet have a PESEL — the commune assigns it at registration or on request. The contract can be signed without a PESEL (passport identifica…

• How does the oświadczenie work after the 2025 changes?

  Simplified legalisation for citizens of Armenia, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine (Georgia removed as of 01.12.2025). Since June 2025: electronically only via praca.gov.pl, a 400 zł fe…

• Can the pre-employment medical be done in-house?

  Initial, periodic and follow-up exams are performed by an occupational-health provider with which the employer has a contract — this cannot be done "in-house". The employer bears t…

• Why does hiring involve a dozen documents and not just a contract?

  The law requires separate documents from the employer for: employment terms (7 days from start), RODO, equal treatment, familiarisation with the rules, taxes (PIT-2), PPK, question…

• Does the health-and-safety training have to be outsourced?

  It does not have to be. In a small office business you run most BHP training yourself — what stays external is only the one-off course for the employer or the manager (valid 5 year…

• How long do you have to register an employee with ZUS, and who is responsible?

  The ZUS ZUA registration (social + health insurance) must reach ZUS within 7 days of the work starting. Technically it is usually the accounting office that does it — but the respo…

• Which deadlines must you track after hiring a foreigner?

  Seven deadlines, and not one of them reminds you by itself. After the start you watch:

• Employment contract, zlecenie or a board resolution — what changes for both sides?

  Umowa o pracę is an employment relationship under the Labour Code: work under direction, at a set place and time, for no less than the minimum wage. It gives paid leave (20 or 26 d…

• Who files for the single permit, and what must the employer do?

  This is one permit for temporary residence and work: the wojewoda issues it on the application of the foreigner, not the employer. The foreigner files it themselves — since 27 Apri…

• Can an employment contract be signed electronically?

  Yes, but only with a qualified electronic signature. An employment contract is concluded in written form (art. 29 § 2 of the Labour Code), and electronically only a qualified signa…