What Documents Need to be Updated After Changing Jobs in Poland?

Changing employers while holding a residence card in Poland is a process that requires mandatory updating of several documents. When leaving your previous job, you need not only to find a new workplace but also to properly complete all legal formalities to maintain your legal status in the country.

According to Polish legislation, foreigners residing in Poland on the basis of a temporary residence and work permit are obligated to inform the voivode about changing their place of employment. This must be done within 15 working days after termination of employment at the previous workplace. Failure to comply with this deadline may lead to serious problems with legalization.

What should a migrant do after changing jobs in Poland? First of all, remember — when changing jobs, it is necessary to change the document permitting employment, as it is issued for a specific employer. If you received an oświadczenie, worked with it for some time and want to change jobs, you will need to obtain a new oświadczenie (and cancel the first one).

In this article, we will examine in detail which documents require updating after changing employers in Poland, within what timeframes this should be done, and how to properly notify the relevant authorities. We will also consider special cases and possible consequences of non-compliance with established rules.

Basic Documents Requiring Updates After Changing Employers

When changing employers in Poland, a foreigner needs to update a number of documents to maintain legal status of stay and employment. Untimely updates can lead to serious consequences, up to and including deportation.

Residence Card: Update Procedure When Changing Jobs

Changing jobs under a unified residence and work permit is legally a process of requesting a new card. In practice, the situation may vary depending on the voivodeship: sometimes the office leaves the “old plastic,” but legally this is always processed as a new permit.

To change the temporary residence permit, you need to submit an application to the appropriate voivode according to your valid place of residence. When changing employers, you must pay a fee of 220 złoty. It is particularly important to remember that the validity period of the residence card after changing jobs does not change – if there is only one month left until the card expires, then you can work at the new place for only one month.

Oświadczenie and Zezwolenie: Specifics of Re-registration

When changing jobs under oświadczenie or zezwolenie, the situation differs, as all notifications are handled by the employer. The voivodeship work permit (zezwolenie) type A or B is the basis for the voivodeship visa D06, and neither the document itself nor the visa issued on its basis have corridors.

It is permitted to change employers in Poland by changing zezwolenie to oświadczenie. In this case, it is important to focus on the period of legal work. Officially, you can work only for six months with an Oświadczenie, and stay in Poland for 9 months with a voivodeship visa.

Documents for Notifying the Office About Job Change

To notify about changing employers, you will need:

 Application in 1 copy, filled out according to instructions

 Original of Appendix No. 1 to the application, completed and signed by the new employer

 Original information from the starosta (if required)

 Valid document confirming medical insurance coverage

 Original confirmation of fee payment

At the same time, all notifications to the office related to residence cards are handled by the foreigner themselves. Some documents cannot be processed without the employer’s participation, but communication with offices is carried out by the employee themselves or their authorized representative.

Insurance and Tax Documents

When changing employers, it is also necessary to update insurance and tax documents. When working under a contract of mandate, a valid document confirming medical insurance coverage is required. The new employer must register you in the social insurance system (ZUS ZUA).

It is important to update all documents in a timely manner to avoid violations of legislation and maintain legal residence status in Poland.

Deadlines for Updating Documents After Employment at a New Workplace

Polish legislation establishes clear timeframes for updating documents after changing employers. Failure to comply with these deadlines may lead to serious problems with the foreigner’s legal status in the country.

15-Day Notification Period for Termination

After terminating employment relations with an employer, you are obligated to notify the appropriate voivode within 15 days from the moment of termination. In some voivodeships, it is recommended to aim for 14 days as a precaution. The notification can be submitted in person or sent by mail to the voivode.

Note that we are talking about 15 working days, not calendar days. If you submit a complete package of documents for a new job within 15 days, then a separate notification about termination is not required.

30 Days to Find a New Job and Submit Documents

After timely notification of employment termination, you have 30 calendar days from the moment of termination to find a new job. During this period, your residence card cannot be annulled, which gives you the legal right to stay in the country.

Within these 30 days, it is necessary to:

 Find a new employer

 Sign an employment contract

 Prepare and submit documents for a new card

Consequences of Non-compliance with Established Deadlines

Violation of notification deadlines and document submission entails serious consequences:

 Work becomes illegal even with a residence card

 Fine from 1000 to 5000 złoty

 And an order to leave the territory of Poland

 Ban on entry to Poland and Schengen countries for a period of 1 to 3 years

However, in practice, the process of canceling a residence card takes much longer — up to six months. During this process, you receive an official letter, and only after this does your residence status become illegal.

Upon receiving a decision to cancel the card, a 30-day period begins the next day, during which you must leave the territory of Poland. Thus, although the legislation establishes strict deadlines, in reality you may have more time to resolve document issues.

Procedure for Notifying the Office About Changing Employers

Notifying the office about changing employers requires strict adherence to the established procedure. Correctly completed documents and timely submission are the key to maintaining legal status in Poland.

How to Properly Prepare a Statement About Job Change

To formalize the change of employer for a residence card, it is necessary to complete a special application for changing the temporary residence and work permit. The application should indicate your identification data, the number of the current residence card, the date of termination of employment at the old job, and employer data. It is important to correctly indicate the reason for the changes – a change of direct employer or user-employer (when working through an agency).

Necessary Attachments to the Application

The following must be attached to the application:

 Original of Appendix No. 1, completed by the new employer

 Information from the starosta (if required)

 Document confirming medical insurance (for umowa zlecenia contracts)

 Copy of the first decision on granting the permit

 Work contract with the new employer

Ways to Submit Documents to the Office

Documents can be submitted in several ways:

 In person at the voivodeship office

 Send by mail to the address of the Department of Foreign Citizens

Payment of State Duty

A state duty of 220 złoty is charged for changing the temporary residence and work permit. This is 50% of the cost of the fee for a new card. Payment can be made by transfer to the account of the specific voivodeship or at the office cash desk when submitting in person. Confirmation of payment must be attached to the application.

Tracking the Status of Document Review

The review period for an application to change employers is up to 60 days from the moment of document submission, or up to 90 days in case of an appeal. The foreigner’s stay remains legal throughout the review period, however, the question of the legality of work until receiving a decision remains open.

Special Cases of Document Updates

There are various non-standard situations requiring a special approach to updating documents when changing employers. Let’s consider the main ones.

Changing Jobs While Waiting for a Residence Card

If you change jobs during the period of waiting for a decision on a residence card, you need to notify the office about changing the grounds for consideration. In this case, it is not required to start the entire process anew – it is sufficient to submit a notification about changing employers and new documents. In some voivodeships, the number of such adjustments is limited to one replacement.

Updating Documents When Working Through an Agency

When working through an agency, it is important to distinguish between changing the agency itself and changing the user-employer. When changing the agency, the employer changes, and new permit documents are obtained. However, when changing only the user-employer, the situation is different: for oświadczenie this does not lead to document replacement, while for zezwolenie it leads to a change of permit.

Documents When Changing Not Only the Employer But Also the Residential Address

When simultaneously changing jobs and address, it is necessary to notify the voivodeship about each change. If the residence address was indicated on the residence card, you will have to change the card itself, which will incur additional expenses in the amount of 100 złoty.

Cases Where Document Updates Are Not Required

Document updates are not required in the following cases:

 Change of ownership of part or all of the employer’s enterprise

 Change of location, name, or legal form of the company organization

 Replacement of a civil law contract with an employment contract

 Change of position title while maintaining responsibilities

Special Cases of Document Updates

Ukrainian citizens with UKR status receive a residence permit without being tied to an employer, so it is sufficient to simply inform the office about the job change. For citizens of other countries, when changing employers, it is not necessary to change the residence card, only the decision needs to be changed.

Conclusion

Changing employers in Poland undoubtedly requires a careful approach to updating documents. Timely notification to the voivode about termination of employment relations within 15 working days and finding a new job within the allotted 30 calendar days become critically important steps for maintaining legal status.

Proper documentation indeed plays a decisive role in this process. Residence card, oświadczenie, or zezwolenie – each document has its own specifics of re-registration that need to be considered. Remember, the validity period of the residence card after changing jobs remains the same, so plan your actions in advance.

Non-compliance with established deadlines, however, can lead to serious consequences – from fines to an order to leave the territory of Poland with a subsequent entry ban. Nevertheless, the process of canceling a residence card takes a considerable amount of time, which gives you an additional opportunity to regularize your status.

Special cases, such as changing jobs while waiting for a residence card or employment through an agency, require a specific approach to document processing. Knowledge of these nuances will help you avoid unnecessary problems and maintain legal status in the country.

Thus, compliance with all formalities when changing employers is the key to your peaceful stay and work in Poland. A legally competent approach to the process of updating documents will allow you to feel confident in your new workplace and focus on professional tasks, rather than on solving legalization problems.