Working in Poland
For India passport holders · Checked 2026-08-15
Poland runs one of the highest-volume legal work corridors for Indians — your Polish employer obtains the work permit (no quota, no labour-market test since June 2025) — but the D-visa appointment in India is a real gate: slots at VFS Global are limited and assigned by an electronic draw, so a work permit does not guarantee a timely visa.
What the employer must have
- The Polish employer applies for the work permit — the worker cannot self-petition; since 1 June 2025 applications are electronic-only via praca.gov.pl and the permit is issued by a voivodeship office (Urząd Wojewódzki).
- No labour-market test since 1 June 2025, but regional (voivodeship/county) authorities may designate "protected professions" in which work permits for foreigners are refused — the employer must check the local list; the employer must also upload the signed employment contract before work starts and pay at least the Polish statutory minimum wage on terms no worse than comparable local workers.
- The employer must notify authorities that the worker started (7 days) or failed to start (14 days); the permit is tied to that employer and job.
What you must do before you leave
- Get the work permit document from your employer, then apply for the D-type national visa at a VFS Global visa application centre — the Embassy in New Delhi or Consulate General in Mumbai has jurisdiction depending on your state; appointments are assigned by an electronic draw, not first-come-first-served.
- File no later than 15 calendar days before the intended travel and carry travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000 valid for the whole stay.
- Poland is NOT on India's ECR country list — no emigration clearance is required even with an ECR-stamped passport.
- Treat any 'embassy contact', 'authorization letter' or agent-supplied work permit as fraud: only Polish authorities in Poland issue work permits, and the embassy publishes a standing fraud warning.
Things to watch
- A work permit does not guarantee a visa: demand for appointments exceeds supply and slots go by draw, so timelines are unpredictable.
- Poland tightened employment-of-foreigners rules from 1 June 2025 (electronic-only filing, contract upload before work starts, joint labour-inspectorate/Border Guard inspections); practice can shift quickly.
- Fake Polish work permits and paid 'special relations with the Embassy' claims are a documented racket in India — a permit is genuine only if issued by a voivodeship office in Poland.
What you may lawfully be charged
THE MOST A REGISTERED RECRUITING AGENT MAY LAWFULLY CHARGE YOU is ₹30,000 plus 18% GST — ₹35,400 in total, once. Not per year, not per document.
Rule 25(1), Emigration Rules under the Emigration Act 1983.
⚠️ Never pay anyone for a job offer or a visa on this route. Legitimate employers and licensed agents do not charge workers for jobs.
Official sources
This describes the immigration system, not your personal case, and not this specific vacancy.