Yes, you can change your employer in Poland, but usually not on your current permit. If your work permit or your single residence-and-work permit names your current employer, the new employer needs a new permit for you (or your permit has to be changed) before you start. Since 1 June 2025 employers apply for work permits only online at praca.gov.pl, and the voivode (voivodeship office) issues them. Check your document first, then resign.
Step 1. Check which document you work on
| Your document | What changing jobs requires |
|---|---|
| Work permit (zezwolenie na pracę), often together with a work visa | The permit is valid only for the employer named on it. The new employer applies for a new work permit at praca.gov.pl, and you can start only after it is issued. |
| Single permit: temporary residence and work permit (residence card for work) | You may not start with a new employer on the current permit. Notify the voivode who issued it in writing within 15 working days after the job ends (an application to change the permit filed in that time also counts), then apply for a change of the permit or a new permit for the new employer. |
| Permanent residence or EU long-term resident card | Free access to the labour market: no work permit is needed. |
| Graduate of a university in Poland, or a full-time student at an approved Polish university | Usually no work permit is needed. The new employer checks your diploma or student status. |
| Residence card with the annotation “dostęp do rynku pracy” (access to the labour market) | You are entitled to work. Ask the new employer whether any notification to the authorities is still needed. |
Step 2. Change jobs in the right order
- Get a written job offer with the pay (net and gross), working hours, place of work and contract type. Under the 2025 rules the pay offered to a foreign worker must not be lower than for comparable jobs and not below the minimum wage.
- Agree who prepares the permit application. The employer files it at praca.gov.pl; an employment agency can help the employer collect the documents.
- Do not stop working before you know your dates. Your notice period at the current job can run while the new permit is being processed.
- Single permit holders: send the written notice to the voivodeship office within 15 working days after the job ends, or file the change application in that time.
- Sign the new contract once the permit is issued or the change of your permit is granted. Ask for a version in a language you understand.
- Start work. The new employer registers you with ZUS, which covers your social and health insurance.
How long does it take?
It depends on your document, on the voivodeship office and on whether the application is complete. Many candidates who already live in Poland start about two weeks after accepting an offer; when a new permit has to be issued, the date depends on the office’s decision. Plan your notice period with this in mind, and keep copies of every application you or your employer file.
Came to Poland from the Philippines? Two extra checks
- Your new contract and your next trip home. Under Philippine rules, a worker who changed employers usually needs a verified contract with the new employer before an OEC is issued. Ask the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw which Migrant Workers Office verifies contracts for Poland (labour matters for Poland have been handled by the office in Prague) before you book a flight.
- Recruitment from the Philippines. New hires from the Philippines are deployed through agencies licensed by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) with an approved job order for Poland. You can check a licence on the DMW website. In 2026 Philippine authorities closed offices that collected large fees for jobs in Poland without an approved job order.
Planning to move to Poland from abroad?
For citizens of countries outside the EU, the usual order is: the Polish employer obtains a work permit from the voivode, you apply for a national (D) work visa at a Polish consulate, you arrive and start work, and later you can apply for a residence card. Nobody can sell you a visa or promise that it will be issued: the work permit is issued by the voivodeship office at the employer’s request, and the visa only by a Polish consulate. Licensed employment agencies in Poland may not charge candidates for job placement.
Red flags when someone offers a “new job with a new permit”
- They ask for a large payment before you have seen a real employer, a contract or a permit application.
- They say you can start at the new company “on your old permit”.
- They promise that a permit or a visa will be issued, or issued by a certain date.
- The agency is not in the state KRAZ register: check it at stor.praca.gov.pl, or read how to choose a reliable employment agency in Poland.
How USPI Work and Documents helps
USPI Work and Documents (USPI WORK sp. z o.o., licensed employment agency, KRAZ 34438) has an office in Bydgoszcz and works with employers in several regions of Poland. If you already live in Poland and want to change jobs:
- a recruiter checks your document and tells you which jobs you can start with and a realistic start date;
- we help the new employer prepare the work permit application; the permit is issued by the voivodeship office;
- we also assist our employees with residence card (TRC) applications; the decision is issued by the voivode (see how to apply for a residence card and what to do if it takes too long);
- current openings for English speakers: poultry processing, plastics production, windows and doors, warehouses. See jobs in Poland for foreigners and the overview work in Poland for foreigners.
We welcome applications from people of all nationalities. Write to us on WhatsApp: +48 883 883 668 and tell us which document you have and which job you are interested in. A recruiter replies in English.
Official sources
- praca.gov.pl: online work permit applications filed by employers
- Zielona Linia (state labour market helpline): obligations of single permit holders, including the 15-working-day notice
- Office for Foreigners, MOS portal: residence permit applications and Q&A
- Philippine Embassy in Warsaw and Department of Migrant Workers
Reviewed: October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice; the decision in your case is made by the voivodeship office.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change my employer in Poland on a work permit?
Not on the same permit. A work permit is valid only for the employer named on it, so the new employer must obtain a new permit (applied for online at praca.gov.pl) before you start.
I have a residence card for work (single permit). What do I do when I change jobs?
Notify the voivode who issued the permit in writing within 15 working days after the job ends (an application to change the permit filed within that time also counts), then apply for a change of the permit or a new permit for the new employer. You may not start with the new employer on the current permit.
Do I need a work permit if I have permanent residence or graduated from a Polish university?
Usually not. Permanent residence and EU long-term residence give free access to the labour market, and graduates of universities in Poland are exempt from the work permit requirement. The new employer checks your document.
Can I keep working while the new permit is being processed?
You can keep working for your current employer, for example during your notice period. You may not start with the new employer until the new permit or the change of your permit has been granted.
How long does changing jobs take?
It depends on your document, on the voivodeship office and on whether the application is complete. Many candidates who already live in Poland start about two weeks after accepting an offer; if a new permit is needed, the start date depends on the office’s decision.
I came from the Philippines. Does changing employers affect my OEC?
Usually yes. A worker who changed employers normally needs a verified contract with the new employer before an OEC is issued. Ask the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw which Migrant Workers Office verifies contracts for Poland before you book a trip home.
Which jobs can I apply for through USPI?
Current openings for English speakers include poultry processing, plastics production, windows and doors, and warehouse jobs, mostly in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian region, with accommodation arranged by the employer. See the vacancies page for pay and conditions.
Hiring now
Top jobs for English speakers in Poland
Official contract with ZUS · accommodation arranged by the employer · many candidates start about two weeks after accepting an offer · we reply in English
No recruitment fees for candidates · licensed employment agency, KRAZ 34438