Working in Poland
For Pakistan passport holders · Checked 2026-08-15
A Polish employer can obtain a work permit for you with no quota and no labour-market test (abolished June 2025, though regional authorities can bar specific occupations), but you must then win a D-visa appointment and clear document checks at the Polish Embassy in Islamabad — in practice the hardest step on this corridor.
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
- Obtain the original work permit document from your employer — the Islamabad embassy requires a 'formal work permit issued by Urząd Wojewódzki in Poland' plus a stamped, signed invitation from the employer before it will accept a work D-visa application.
- Book the D-visa appointment ONLY through the official, e-konsulat system (e-konsulat.gov.pl) and apply in person at the Embassy of Poland in Islamabad; the visa decision is normally 15 working days, extendable to 45.
- Before departure, complete Pakistan's legally required BEOE Protector of Emigrants registration (online e-Protector) under the Emigration Ordinance 1979.
Things to watch
- A work permit does not guarantee a visa: the consulate examines each file individually and appointment capacity in Islamabad is limited, so waits and refusals are the real bottleneck.
- Poland tightened foreigner-employment rules from 1 June 2025 (electronic-only filing, contract upload, joint labour-inspectorate/Border Guard workplace inspections) and policy continues to shift.
- No Pakistan-specific work-permit volume could be verified this session; Pakistan was not among Poland's listed top recipient nationalities for 2024, so treat this corridor as workable but not high-volume.
What you may lawfully be charged
THE MOST A LICENSED AGENT MAY LAWFULLY CHARGE YOU as a service charge is PKR 15,000 (PKR 6,000 if you found the job yourself and only need the paperwork done). You do not hand it over — you deposit it in a bank and the agent is paid only after the Protector of Emigrants confirms you reached the job. Anything he spends on your ticket, medical or visa must come with a signed, stamped receipt.
Rule 15 and 15A, Emigration Rules 1979 (SRO 1058(I)/2023). Charging more is punishable by up to 14 years — Section 22(a), Emigration Ordinance 1979.
⚠️ 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.