Pension in Poland for Foreigners: New Rules for 2026

Pension in Poland for foreigners in 2026 opens up new opportunities. In December 2024, the social insurance institution ZUS paid pensions to more than 20,000 foreigners, and among the 1.16 million legally employed migrants, many are already planning their future in this country.

From January 1, new regulations come into force that simplify the accumulation of professional experience in Poland: the Polish pension system now includes self-employment and civil law contracts, fundamentally changing how employment history is calculated.

The average pension in Poland has reached 2630 PLN, while the minimum pension is 1,878 PLN.

In this article, you will learn how to get a pension in Poland, what work experience requirements apply in 2026, and how to properly prepare documents including a ZUS certificate for receiving payments.

New rules in 2026: what has changed for foreigners

Civil law contracts as part of work experience

This change affects millions of workers, including foreigners who have been paying ZUS contributions for years but could not include this professional experience in their work record. The new contract qualification rules now recognize various types of employment relationships that were previously excluded.

Self-employment now counts as work experience

Running non-agricultural professional activity as an individual is now included in work experience in Poland. Previously, you could work for yourself for ten years, pay social security contributions, but officially your employment history was zero. The Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy considers this an injustice that has now been corrected.

Periods of self-employment are confirmed by the social insurance institution based on registration and insurance data. If the activity was not registered in ZUS or represents documented employment abroad, you will need to provide proof yourself through the electronic services platform or traditional documentation.

Employees have two years from the law’s entry into force, i.e. until 2028, to submit documents confirming additional professional experience using a USP application or other official channels.

Civil contracts included in work experience

Periods of work under mandate contracts (umowa zlecenie), agency contracts, and other specific work contracts are now counted as work experience provided that you were covered by pension, disability, and accident insurance.

However, umowa o dzieło does not give the right to count work experience, as no mandatory pension contributions are paid under such contracts. Understanding proper contract qualification is essential for workers to ensure their employment relationship is properly documented.

An increased work record under the new seniority calculation system gives employee rights to longer vacation — 26 days instead of 20, jubilee awards and seniority bonuses. As a result, salaries increase and savings grow. These workplace regulations apply equally to public sector employees and private sector workers, though notice periods and severance pay conditions may vary depending on employment contracts.

What does not change: contributions and pension amount

It is important to understand the difference between work experience and insurance experience.

ZUS regional representative Wojciech Ściwiarski emphasized that the new rules do not change insurance experience. The social insurance institution considers insurance experience when calculating pensions. Therefore, these changes do not affect the right to a pension in Poland or its amount, as social security contributions remain calculated the same way.

The retirement age in Poland remains unchanged — 60 for women and 65 for men. Employment checks and verification of professional activity periods will continue to be conducted through standard ZUS procedures to ensure accurate employment history records for all workers, including those with sports scholarships or other specialized arrangements.