Control and trust: how the new legislation supports compliant employers and protects employees

Enhanced Inspections and Stricter Sanctions

New Grounds for Refusal of Work Permits

Public authorities will be entitled to refuse a work permit if it is determined that the company was established solely to legalise the stay of foreign nationals. This applies, in particular, to:

entities without actual business activity,
companies operating from virtual office addresses,
newly registered entities lacking operational history.

Additionally, regulations on employee outsourcing will be tightened. The delegation of workers will be permitted exclusively through temporary employment agencies.

New Inspection Framework

Labour inspectorates and other competent authorities will be authorised to conduct unannounced and parallel inspections. Inter-agency cooperation will be strengthened to more effectively detect irregularities.

Inspections will cover:

the legality of employment,
compliance of employment conditions and remuneration with submitted declarations,
adherence to employee rights and labour standards.

Sanctions under the New Law

Violation	Applicable Sanction
Absence of a contract / lack of translation	PLN 1,000 to 3,000
Violation of employment terms	PLN 6,000 to 50,000
Employment without a valid permit	Minimum PLN 3,000 per individual
Discriminatory remuneration	Up to PLN 50,000 + denial of future permits

Benefits for Employers and Employees

Advantages for Employers:

Reduced waiting times for administrative decisions,
Lower bureaucratic burden,
Clear procedures and real-time digital case tracking.

Advantages for Employees:

Transparent information regarding rights and obligations,
Equal pay with domestic workers,
Stronger protection against exploitative practices.

Preparing for the Upcoming Changes

Employers are advised to take the following preparatory measures:

Review and adjust internal HR and compliance procedures,
Complete or standardise employee documentation,
Test the functionalities of the gov.pl platform,
Prepare bilingual or multilingual versions of employment-related documents.

Key Differences Compared to the Existing Framework

Current Rules	Post-Amendment (2025)
Paper-based or hybrid application process	Fully digital via praca.gov.pl
Frequent in-person visits to public offices	Entirely remote handling of applications
Limited access to real-time case updates	Continuous online monitoring and notifications
Manual verification of application completeness	Partial automated validation of data and annexes

The new Act on the Employment of Foreign Nationals, effective as of 1 June 2025, constitutes a significant step towards a modern, equitable, and transparent system of legal employment for foreigners in Poland. The amendments encompass the full digitalisation of administrative procedures, enhanced protection of employee rights, simplified formalities for employers, and strengthened enforcement mechanisms against non-compliant practices.

While employers will face new documentary obligations and wage transparency requirements, they will also benefit from faster access to workforce resources and greater procedural predictability.

The transition to a fully online system for the management of foreign employment relations may prove transformative—yet it also raises concerns regarding the readiness of public administration and digital infrastructure. Ongoing observation of the system’s practical implementation will be crucial in assessing whether this digital reform delivers on its promises of efficiency, fairness, and legal certainty in the employment of foreign nationals in Poland.

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