Your boss looked you in the eye and said, "Don't worry, I'll sort everything." Three weeks later, your karta pobytu (Polish residence permit) application is sitting at the urząd wojewódzki — incomplete. The voivode's office sent a letter asking for Annex 1 from your employer. Your HR department doesn't know what that is. You have 7 days to respond or your case gets closed. Sound familiar? This is the most common reason work-based karta pobytu applications in Poland fail in 2026 — not missing photos, not wrong fees, but an employer who didn't know what they were supposed to provide. Here is exactly what your employer must give you, sign, and submit — and what you should check before you ever hand in your application.
Why the Employer Is Half Your Application
A work-based karta pobytu is not your application alone. The Polish system treats it as a joint declaration: you say you want to stay and work, your employer says they want to keep you. The voivode's office evaluates both sides — and if your employer's paperwork is missing or wrong, your side doesn't matter. Under the rules in force from April 27, 2026, employers must complete their part of the process electronically through the MOS portal (mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl). A paper Annex 1 from your employer is no longer accepted — the office will not process it. This is new, and many employers in Poland have not caught up yet.
The good news: once you know exactly what to ask for — and in what format — most employers are happy to cooperate. The problem is almost always information, not willingness.
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Document #1: Annex 1 — The Employer's Core Declaration
This is the most important document in a work-based karta pobytu application, and your employer fills it out — not you. Annex 1 (Załącznik nr 1) is a formal declaration from your employer setting out the exact conditions of your employment. It tells the urząd: who the employer is, what your job title is, how many hours per week you will work, how long the contract lasts, and — critically — your salary. According to gov.pl / MOS official information, as of April 27, 2026, this must be completed electronically by the employer inside the MOS system, signed with a qualified electronic signature, trusted profile (Profil Zaufany), or personal signature (e-dowód).
How does it work in practice? When you submit your application in MOS, you enter your employer's email address. MOS sends them an automatic link. They open it, fill in Annex 1 digitally, and sign it. You get a notification when it's done. The employer has 30 days to complete this step. If they miss the deadline, your entire application can be rejected.
What to tell your HR: "You will receive an email from mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl with a link. Please open it, complete Annex 1, and sign it using your Profil Zaufany or qualified e-signature. You have 30 days but please do it within 48 hours of receiving the email." Print this out if it helps. Most HR teams in Poland are fine once they know what to do — the problem is they've never done it before.
Document #2: The Employment Contract — What It Must Say
Your employer must provide you with a signed, written employment contract before you can submit a valid karta pobytu application. This sounds obvious, but the details matter — and the voivode's office checks every line.
The contract must be in writing (not verbal), must specify your exact position title, gross monthly salary, working hours, contract start date and duration. The salary stated in the contract must be at least 4,806 PLN gross per month — the Polish minimum wage effective from 1 January 2026 (or 31.40 PLN gross per hour for hourly mandate contracts). A salary below this amount is grounds for immediate refusal. Check biznes.gov.pl for the current legal minimum before you apply.
Under Polish law, if you don't speak Polish fluently, your employer must provide the contract with a translation into a language you understand. For Indian, Bangladeshi, Nepali, Sri Lankan, Filipino, Pakistani, Nigerian, or Zimbabwean workers, this typically means English. The office won't demand a sworn translation of your own contract — but the translation must be there.
- Type of contract: umowa o pracę (employment contract) or umowa zlecenie (mandate contract) — both accepted, but terms must match Annex 1 exactly
- Salary: minimum 4,806 PLN gross/month (from 1 January 2026) — no exceptions regardless of hours or contract type
- Duration: must cover the period for which you are applying for residence
- Working hours: stated clearly — this must match what's in Annex 1, or the office will flag a discrepancy
- Language: Polish original plus translation into a language the worker understands
Practical tip: Before submitting your application, line up Annex 1 and your employment contract side by side. Check that the job title, salary, hours, and employer name match exactly. One mismatched detail — 'warehouse operative' on the contract but 'forklift operator' in Annex 1 — is enough for the urząd to issue a correction request that costs you 4-6 weeks.
Document #3: Employer Registration Proof — KRS or CEIDG
The voivode's office needs to verify that your employer actually exists as a legal entity in Poland. Your employer must provide — or you must obtain on their behalf — a current extract from KRS (Krajowy Rejestr Sądowy) if they are a company (sp. z o.o., S.A., etc.) or a CEIDG printout if they are a sole trader (jednoosobowa działalność gospodarcza). Both are free and downloadable online from gov.pl/web/cudzoziemcy. The extract must be current — typically issued within the last 3 months.
In addition to registration proof, in many cases the office will require or check: the employer's NIP (tax identification number), REGON (statistical number), and evidence that the employer is registered as an active ZUS payer — meaning they actually pay social insurance contributions for their employees. Some voivodeships request a ZUS confirmation directly; others check it in their own systems. Ask your employer to have a recent ZUS confirmation letter ready.
For a complete picture of every document you'll need to bring yourself, see our Karta Pobytu Documents Checklist — it covers both the applicant's side and the employer's side in one place.
Document #4: Salary Proof and What Happens If You're Underpaid on Paper
Here is where many applications run into quiet trouble. The employment contract says 4,806 PLN — but in practice your employer pays part of your wage in cash, or lists you at 28 hours per week at a rate that doesn't meet the threshold. The urząd checks the salary in Annex 1 against the minimum wage requirement. If the number is even 1 PLN below the legal minimum, you get a correction request — and that costs you weeks.
From your employer, you may need: pay slips (odcinki płacy) for the last 3 months if you are already employed and renewing, or a statement from the employer confirming the salary and terms of a new or upcoming contract if you are applying for the first time. The Mazowieckie office (Warsaw) and several other voivodeships now request payslips as standard for renewals. Check your local urząd's checklist — Wrocław, Kraków, and Szczecin each publish their own.
One thing many workers don't realize: the salary threshold is the same regardless of your job type, hours, or employer size. Whether you work for a 5-person logistics company in Łódź or a multinational in Warsaw, 4,806 PLN gross is the floor.
If you are applying through MOS online for the first time, our step-by-step walkthrough Applying for Karta Pobytu Through MOS Online will show you exactly where in the system your employer's email gets entered to trigger the Annex 1 invitation.
What Happens If Your Employer Refuses or Goes Silent
It happens. You start the MOS application, enter your employer's email, and they just... don't complete Annex 1. Maybe they don't understand what the link is. Maybe HR is stretched thin. Maybe there is a language barrier. You have 30 days before the deadline — but don't wait until day 29.
Step 1: Send your employer a written message (email or WhatsApp) explaining what the link is and what they need to do. Keep a record. Step 2: If they still don't respond within 5 working days, escalate to your direct manager. Step 3: If the company is genuinely unresponsive or refuses — that is itself a red flag about your employment situation and your status. An employer who won't complete Annex 1 is potentially in breach of their obligations under Polish labor law. Penalties for employing a foreigner without proper authorization reach up to 30,000 PLN per violation — so most employers, once they understand the stakes, act quickly.
If your employer is cooperative but technically confused — for example, they don't have a Profil Zaufany and don't know how to get one — send them to login.gov.pl. Setting up a Profil Zaufany takes about 15 minutes online using internet banking. It's free.
If you changed employers recently or are about to, read Karta Pobytu Temporary Residence and Work: How to Apply in Poland 2026 — it explains how a change of employer affects your existing permit and what documents you need for the update.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my employer send Annex 1 by email or print it and sign it by hand?
No — not anymore. From April 27, 2026, Annex 1 must be completed and signed electronically by the employer inside the MOS system at mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl. Paper versions or email attachments are not accepted. The employer needs a Profil Zaufany, qualified electronic signature, or e-dowód (electronic ID card) to sign. If your employer doesn't have any of these, setting up a Profil Zaufany via internet banking takes about 15 minutes and costs nothing.
My contract says 4,500 PLN — is that enough for a karta pobytu in 2026?
No. The minimum wage in Poland from January 1, 2026 is 4,806 PLN gross per month. Any contract specifying a lower amount does not meet the salary threshold required for a temporary residence and work permit. You need to ask your employer to update the contract to reflect at least 4,806 PLN before submitting the application. The office will reject applications where Annex 1 or the contract shows a salary below the legal minimum.
Does my employer have to prove they have no Polish candidate available (the labour market test)?
For most standard employment sectors in Poland in 2026, the labour market test (informacja starosty) has been simplified or waived, particularly for professions on regional shortage lists. However, for some positions, especially lower-skill roles in specific voivodeships, your employer may need a statement from the local starosta (county office) confirming no suitable Polish candidates are available. This must be issued no more than 180 days before the application. Ask your legal adviser whether your specific job category requires it — requirements vary by region.
What if my employer is a staffing agency — who fills in Annex 1?
If you are employed through a staffing agency (agencja pracy) and placed with a client company, the entity that signs your contract is responsible for completing Annex 1. That is almost always the agency itself, not the client. Make sure the details in Annex 1 match your agency contract exactly — including the actual worksite address (miejsce wykonywania pracy), which may be the client's premises, not the agency's office.
Can I apply for karta pobytu before signing a contract — if I have a job offer?
Yes, in some cases. An employer can complete Annex 1 based on an intended employment arrangement — stating the planned start date and conditions. However, the permit will specify those employment conditions, and you must begin work under them as stated. If the actual contract ends up materially different (different salary, different hours, different employer), your permit may not cover the real situation and you'd need to reapply. It is always safer to have the contract signed before applying.
Your employer's paperwork is half your application — and it's the half you have the least control over. The clearest path to a smooth karta pobytu is getting this right before you submit, not chasing corrections afterward. Legal Solutions — 98% approval rate. Drop us a WhatsApp — we read every message.