If you are not an EU citizen, you need a permit to work as a developer in Poland. For most tech roles, the main options are the EU Blue Card, a work permit with a national visa, or a temporary residence and work permit (the “single permit”).
This guide explains each route step by step, with the 2026 salary threshold, fees and processing times from official sources. Rules change often: large reforms took effect in June 2025 and April 2026. Always check the official links before you apply.
Looking for employers who help with this? See visa sponsorship jobs and our list of companies that sponsor visas.
Do you need a permit at all?
EU citizens generally don’t need a work permit anywhere in the EU (Your Europe). EEA and Swiss citizens have similar rights under free movement agreements. You only need to register your stay after you arrive. Our relocation checklist covers that.
Everyone else needs one of the permits below before starting work.
The options at a glance
| EU Blue Card | Work permit + national visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum salary | 150% of last year’s average wage: PLN 13,355.34 gross/month for 2026 applications | At least the minimum wage and what comparable Polish workers earn |
| Degree needed? | Degree or comparable professional experience | No |
| Minimum contract | 6 months | — |
| Main fees | PLN 440 + PLN 100 card | PLN 400 work permit + visa fee |
| Legal processing time | Not published | Visa: 15 days, up to 30 |
| Where you apply | Online (MOS), from inside Poland | Employer online, then you at a consulate |
Sources for each figure are linked in the sections below.
The three routes
Poland has three common routes for developers from outside the EU:
- EU Blue Card (Niebieska Karta UE), a temporary residence permit for highly qualified work.
- Work permit type A (zezwolenie na pracę typu A) plus a national D visa, the usual way to start working quickly when you’re still abroad.
- Temporary residence and work permit (zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy i pracę), the “single permit” you apply for once you live in Poland.
What changed in 2025 and 2026
- 1 June 2025: new rules on employing foreigners took effect. The labour market test for work permits was abolished. The Blue Card rules were updated to implement the revised EU Blue Card directive (Office for Foreigners).
- 27 April 2026: residence permit applications, including the Blue Card, can only be filed online through the MOS portal (Moduł Obsługi Spraw). Paper applications are not examined (Wielkopolska Voivode’s Office).
EU Blue Card Poland
Who it’s for: developers with a job offer that meets the salary threshold. You apply from inside Poland, while you’re here legally.
Conditions (Zielona Linia, the public employment services’ information line):
- A contract for at least 6 months. This can be an employment contract or a civil-law contract.
- Salary: your gross annual pay must be at least 150% of the average wage in the national economy for the year before you apply. Statistics Poland (GUS) set the 2025 average wage at PLN 8,903.56 a month (GUS). So for applications filed in 2026, the minimum is PLN 13,355.34 gross a month (PLN 160,264.08 a year).
- Qualifications: a university degree, or professional experience at a comparable level (Office for Foreigners). The law also provides for a 3-year experience route for occupations in the directive’s annex, which includes IT managers and specialists. It depends on a list the minister must publish in Monitor Polski (Zielona Linia). Ask the voivode’s office whether it applies to your case.
- Your job must not be on a local “restricted professions” list. District governors can publish these lists. As of May 2026, none had been published (Wielkopolska Voivode’s Office).
Step by step (Wielkopolska Voivode’s Office):
- Get a PESEL number and a Trusted Profile (Profil Zaufany). You need them to sign the online application. See the relocation checklist.
- Create a MOS account at mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl through login.gov.pl.
- Fill in the application. Upload a digital photo, scans of every page of your passport and proof you paid the fee. Enter your employer’s email address.
- Your employer fills in Annex 1 in MOS and signs it electronically. It states your salary and confirms your contract and health insurance.
- Complete Annex 2, sign with your Trusted Profile and submit. Download the official confirmation of receipt (UPO). If you don’t get a UPO, the application wasn’t submitted.
- Give your fingerprints in person at the voivode’s office when invited.
- Collect your residence card after a positive decision.
Apply before your current legal stay ends. If you file on time and the application is complete, your stay stays legal until the decision is final. You can’t start this process if you’re in Poland on a visa issued for tourism or visiting family.
Fees: PLN 440 stamp duty for the application, plus PLN 100 for the residence card (Wielkopolska Voivode’s Office, fees). You receive a certificate of submission instead of the old passport stamp (Office for Foreigners).
Validity: the length of your contract plus 3 months, up to 3 years.
If you lose your job: tell the voivode in writing within 15 working days. The permit can be withdrawn if you are unemployed for more than 3 months, or more than 6 months once you’ve held the Blue Card for at least 2 years (Zielona Linia).
Moving within the EU: Blue Card holders can work in another EU country for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Longer moves are possible under a separate permit (Office for Foreigners).
Work permit type A and national D visa
This is the common route when you’re still outside Poland.
- Your employer applies for the work permit online through praca.gov.pl. Applications filed any other way are not examined. A permit is valid for up to 3 years (Zielona Linia). The fee is PLN 400 for work over 3 months, or PLN 200 for up to 3 months (Wielkopolska Voivode’s Office, fees).
- You apply for a national D visa for work at a Polish consulate. You register through the e-Konsulat system (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). A national visa allows a stay of over 90 days, up to one year.
- The consulate decides within 15 days. This can be extended to 30 days. Some consulates give out work-visa appointments by electronic draw (Embassy in New Delhi).
- The visa fee is set in euros: EUR 200 for a national visa application (Embassy in Podgorica). Some consulates charge it in local currency.
Before your visa runs out, you can move to a Blue Card or a single permit.
Temporary residence and work permit (“single permit”)
This combines residence and work in one decision. You apply online through MOS, with Annex 1 from your employer, as for the Blue Card.
- Your pay must be no lower than the minimum wage and no lower than that of Polish workers in a comparable job. You need health insurance (Zielona Linia).
- Fees: PLN 440, plus PLN 100 for the residence card (Wielkopolska Voivode’s Office, fees).
- If some terms change, such as your job title or a switch from a civil-law contract to an employment contract, your employer must tell the voivode within 15 working days (Zielona Linia).
How long does it take?
We couldn’t find an official average processing time for residence permits. The Office for Foreigners warns that you may wait a long time for your employer to sign Annex 1, so start early (Office for Foreigners, MOS Q&A). Ask your employer’s HR team what they’ve seen recently in your region.
Blue Card or another permit: which one?
- Your salary is above the Blue Card threshold and you have a degree or comparable professional experience: the Blue Card is usually the better choice. It’s valid for longer and it makes moving within the EU easier.
- Your salary is below the threshold: use a work permit or a single permit.
- You need to start soon and you’re abroad: a work permit plus a national D visa is often the practical first step. You can switch to a Blue Card later.
Your employer’s HR team or immigration adviser usually decides the route. Ask early which permit they plan to use, who pays the fees and who handles the paperwork.
Documents to prepare early
- A valid passport, with scans of every page
- Your signed employment contract or job offer
- Your degree certificate, or proof of your professional experience (reference letters from employers). Foreign documents may need a translation by a Polish sworn translator (Wielkopolska Voivode’s Office).
- Proof of accommodation, such as a tenancy agreement
- Proof of health insurance, where required
- Recent biometric photos
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum salary for an EU Blue Card in Poland in 2026?
For Blue Card applications filed in 2026, you need at least PLN 13,355.34 gross a month, or PLN 160,264.08 a year. That’s 150% of the 2025 average wage of PLN 8,903.56 set by Statistics Poland (GUS). Because the threshold is tied to the previous year’s average wage, check the current figure before you apply.
Can I apply for a Polish Blue Card from outside Poland?
No. You apply for the Blue Card from inside Poland, while you’re staying here legally, through the online MOS portal. If you’re still abroad, the usual first step is a work permit plus a national D visa, and you can switch to a Blue Card later. You can’t start from a tourist or family-visit visa.
How long does it take to get a work visa for Poland?
The consulate decides on a national D visa within 15 days, and this can be extended to 30. For residence permits, including the Blue Card, there’s no official average processing time. Waiting for your employer to sign Annex 1 in MOS can take a long time, so start early and ask HR what they’ve seen recently.
How much does a Polish work permit or Blue Card cost?
A Blue Card or single permit application costs PLN 440 in stamp duty, plus PLN 100 for the residence card. A type A work permit costs PLN 400 for work over 3 months, or PLN 200 for up to 3 months. A national visa application costs EUR 200, and some consulates charge it in local currency.
Do I need a university degree for a Blue Card in Poland?
Not always. You need a university degree or professional experience at a comparable level. The law also provides for a 3-year experience route for occupations that include IT managers and specialists, but it depends on a list the minister must publish in Monitor Polski. Ask the voivode’s office whether that route applies to you.
What happens to my Blue Card if I lose my job?
Tell the voivode in writing within 15 working days. The permit can be withdrawn if you’re unemployed for more than 3 months, or for more than 6 months once you’ve held the Blue Card for at least 2 years. So if you lose your job, start looking for a new role quickly.
Related guides
- Companies that sponsor visas in Poland
- Software developer salaries in Poland: check that an offer meets the Blue Card threshold
- Relocation checklist: PESEL, address registration, bank and insurance
- Tax basics for tech workers in Poland