My employer says the contract will come 'next week.' Can I start working?

You shouldn't. Polish rules require the written contract before you are allowed to start work. Working without it leaves you without proof of employment and exposes the employer to fines. Politely ask for the signed paper first, and message us if they refuse.

Do I need a Polish translation if my contract is in English?

You need a version you understand, and English is fine for that. The employer, not you, must then arrange a sworn Polish translation if the contract exists only in English. That is their duty and cost. You should not be asked to pay for it.

Can my employer keep my passport or Karta Pobytu?

No. Your passport and residence card are yours. An employer may take a copy, but holding the originals is not allowed. If someone insists, record the conversation details, keep copies of everything and contact us.

I never got payslips. Will that hurt my permit renewal?

It can. Offices look for consistent proof of work and paid contributions. Ask now for your ZUS confirmation, bank statements and a written statement from the employer. Rebuilding the file early is much easier than doing it after a request from the office.

Who pays for the medical exam and BHP training?

The employer. The pre-employment medical exam and the health and safety training are an employer cost. If someone says 'you pay, we'll refund later,' get that in writing before you spend money.

Kenyan Workers in Poland: Employer Documents 2026

It's the end of your first week at a warehouse near Poznań. Your supervisor slides a Polish contract across the table, points at the signature line and says, 'Just sign, it's standard.' You read English and Swahili. You can't read this. If you're one of the Kenyan workers in Poland wondering which documents your employer must provide, here is the short answer: far more than one signature on a page you can't understand. Polish law gives you a written contract before you start, in a language you can follow, plus a handful of papers that decide whether you can renew your Karta Pobytu (Polish residence permit) later. Here is the full list, in the order you'll need it.

What must be on paper before your first shift?

Before you do any work, your employer has to give you a written contract. Not a WhatsApp message, not a promise. Polish rules on employing foreigners say the contract must be in writing before you're allowed to start, and the employer must show you a version you can understand before you sign. The official guidance is on zielonalinia.gov.pl. If your employer skips this, the fine for them is PLN 1,000 to 3,000.

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So what should you have in your hands in week one? Check this list against your own folder:

A signed written employment contract (umowa) with your name, start date, job, place of work and pay. Your copy, not just theirs.
A written version of that contract you understand, handed to you before you sign.
Written information about your working conditions: hours, pay day, holiday, notice period. The employer must give it to you in the first days of work.
A referral for a pre-employment medical exam (skierowanie na badania wstępne). The employer pays for it, not you.
Proof of health and safety training (BHP) before you start the actual work.

Notice what is not on the list: your passport. Nobody can legally keep it 'for safekeeping.' If a supervisor asks to hold it, say no politely and call us.

Read it first, sign it second: a Polish employment contract on a warehouse office desk

Is a contract in English enough for Kenyan workers?

Many Kenyans arrive with strong English and no Polish at all. Good news: English is a language you understand, so an English version of the contract or a written English translation is the normal route. It does not have to be Swahili, and it does not have to be a sworn translation, as long as you can really read it.

There is one catch. If the contract exists only in a foreign language, the employer must also obtain a sworn Polish translation and keep it for the whole time you work, plus two years after the end of the year the job ends. You can check how the rules for employers are explained on gov.pl/web/cudzoziemcy.

Three things to check in the contract before you sign:

Type of contract. An umowa o pracę (employment contract) gives you the strongest protection. A umowa zlecenie (civil contract) is different and gives fewer rights.
Pay. In 2026 the minimum wage is PLN 4,806 gross a month for a full-time employment contract, and PLN 31.40 gross an hour for civil contracts. If the number is lower, ask why.
Place and job. They must match the real work. If the paper says 'packer' and you're told to drive a forklift in another city, that is a problem for both your pay and your permit.

For the permit side of this, our checklist for work-based cards is here: Karta Pobytu for Work 2026: 9 Documents, PLN 440 + 100 and One Page That Sinks Cases.

Payslips, ZUS and working hours: what should reach you every month?

The contract is only the start. Every month your employer has to do paperwork that you never see unless you ask. That paperwork is exactly what officers look at when you renew your card.

ZUS registration. Your employer must register you for social insurance (ZUS). Ask for the confirmation of registration. No ZUS record means no proof of work.
Monthly contributions. Ask for a copy of your contribution statement (RMUA) now and then, and check your name and PESEL number are right.
A pay breakdown. Ask for a written calculation of your salary each month: gross, deductions, net. If you get cash in an envelope with no paper, that is a red flag.
Working time records. Overtime must be recorded and paid. Keep your own notes of hours worked.

You can see how contributions work on the ZUS website. A quick habit that saves renewals: once a quarter, put your payslips, ZUS confirmation and a screenshot of your bank transfers in one folder on your phone.

Here is a story we see in many versions. Wanjiru, a care worker from Nakuru, worked eleven months for an employer who paid in cash and never gave her a contract copy. When her permit was due for renewal she had no ZUS record to show. We helped her get a written statement of employment and fix the missing registrations with the new employer. It cost her time and stress that a folder of papers would have prevented. (This is an illustrative, composite example, not a real client.)

One folder, every month: payslips and ZUS confirmations saved before the renewal deadline

Which employer papers does your Karta Pobytu file depend on?

If you're applying for a residence permit based on work, your employer takes part in the application. Applications for a temporary residence and work permit are now submitted through the online MOS system, and the employer completes and signs Attachment No. 1 electronically. You can read the process on the MOS portal. The two payments are PLN 440 and PLN 100.

What you should ask your employer to prepare, early:

Attachment No. 1, filled in correctly: job, hours, pay, dates.
A copy of your signed contract that matches the attachment word for word.
An employment certificate (zaświadczenie o zatrudnieniu) if the office asks for proof of current work.
Proof that ZUS contributions are paid for the whole period.

Employers often don't know their side of this. Share our guide for them: Karta Pobytu for Your Employee 2026: What the Employer Must Do. If you get a letter from the office asking for missing papers, read Wezwanie Letter from the Urząd: 7 Days to Answer right away. The clock is short.

Practical tip: before you sign anything, photograph every page of the contract on your phone and send it to yourself by email. If the employer's copy and yours ever differ, you have proof.

What papers must you walk away with when the job ends?

Leaving a job, by choice or not, is when employers go quiet. Know in advance what you're owed. These are your exit documents:

A work certificate (świadectwo pracy). It should be handed over immediately or at the latest within 7 days after the contract ends. It proves how long you worked and in what role.
A PIT-11 tax statement for the year, which the employer must give you by the end of February of the following year. You need it for your tax return.
A final pay statement showing unused holiday paid out.

Tax questions are explained at gov.pl/web/podatki. If you lose a job while your card is valid, you don't automatically lose your right to stay, but the next steps are time-sensitive. And remember the other side: an employer who hires without paperwork risks heavy fines, as we explain in Hiring a Foreigner Without Papers? Employer Fines in Poland 2026.

Work certificate and PIT-11: the two papers to collect on your last day

Missing a paper from your employer is fixable if you act early. Legal Solutions - 98% approval rate. Drop us a WhatsApp on +48 735 248 525 - we read every message.