If I resign, do I lose my karta pobytu right away?

Not immediately. The law gives you some time to sort things out, and PARP says the voivode will not revoke the permit within 30 days of job loss. But there are notification deadlines (15 days in some sources), so act fast and write down the date.

Can I start at the new employer before the decision arrives?

It depends on your case and the type of application. Don't let HR or a friend answer this. Ask the voivodeship office or us before you sign, because this is where most problems start.

Will I get a new card if I change employer?

If a new permit is issued, you get a new card. One legal article notes that a simple amendment does not extend validity, while a new permit can be granted for up to 3 years. It depends on the procedure, so check your case first.

Do my documents from the Philippines need an apostille?

Usually yes: an apostille from the Philippines, then a sworn translation into Polish. Both countries belong to the Apostille Convention. That's all we'll say on the Philippine side; ask the authorities there about their procedures.

Change Employer in Poland: TRC Rules 2026

It's Friday night. Your supervisor just told you about an opening at another company: better pay, better shifts, overtime included. You'd like to hand in your resignation on Monday. But one question keeps nagging you: if you change employer in Poland, what happens to your karta pobytu?

It's normal to feel nervous. You won't be deported tomorrow just for thinking about a new job. But some things must be sorted out BEFORE you sign the new contract. Here's the plain version, the way we'd explain it on WhatsApp.

Why does your employer matter for your karta pobytu?

If your karta pobytu (residence card, or TRC) came from a zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy i pracę, the combined temporary residence and work permit, your employer's name and the job conditions are written into the decision. So it's not a card that lets you work anywhere.

According to biznes.gov.pl, a foreigner working under a single permit (zezwolenie jednolite) must go to the voivode (urząd wojewódzki, the voivodeship office) before changing employer. It is not "switch first, fix it later."

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One note: this article is about the residence card stage. We don't arrange visas or work permits; that's handled by the employer or the consulate. What we handle is your karta pobytu: new, renewal, appeals and more.

Before signing a new contract, check what your karta pobytu decision actually says

What must you do when you change employer? (Step 1)

The most important step: don't resign until you know which type of permit you hold. Look at the decision (not just the card) and find the employer, the position and the validity dates.

In practice there are two possible routes, depending on your case:

Amending your existing permit (zmiana zezwolenia) for certain employer changes.
A new application for a temporary residence and work permit with the new employer. According to PARP, the decision cannot simply be amended when the employer changes, so a new application is often needed.

Official pages explain this differently, so check with the voivodeship office where you live or on mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl. Some rules also changed on 1 June 2025, so advice from a roommate may be outdated.

Some changes need no amendment: the employer changing its name or seat, its legal form, or being taken over by another company. One voivodeship office also says a new job title with the same duties does not always require a new permit. Don't guess; ask first.

How fast must you act after leaving a job? (Step 2)

This is where most people get confused. Official sources give different deadlines:

One source says 15 days (another says 15 working days) to inform the voivode that employment ended.
According to PARP, you have 30 calendar days to file a new application with the new employer, and the voivode will not revoke the permit within 30 days of job loss.

Because they differ, our advice is to treat 15 days as the shortest window and act immediately. "There's probably still time" is what kills most cases.

Practical tip: Photograph your decision and your card, write down your last working day, and keep the resignation or termination letter. Every deadline is counted from those dates.

For timing questions see our guide to karta pobytu processing time.

Keep the decision, contract and resignation letter in one folder for your appointment

Which documents should you prepare? (Step 3)

Once the route is clear, start on the paperwork. Typically requested (the exact list depends on the voivodeship and your permit type):

The application (MOS or paper depending on the case; per biznes.gov.pl, an application to change a permit is still filed on paper despite electronic proceedings from 27 April 2026).
Passport and a copy of your karta pobytu.
The new employer's documents: contract, company details and the attachment the employer completes.
Proof of address and health insurance, if requested.
Proof that your previous job ended.

If you need a document from the Philippines (for example a birth or marriage certificate): both the Philippines and Poland are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille is normally enough, not full consular legalization. See the gov.pl page on apostille in the Philippines. After that you usually need a sworn translation into Polish (tłumacz przysięgły). Confirm with the office what they accept in your case. For procedures inside the Philippines, ask the relevant Philippine authorities.

Can you work while you wait?

We hear this question on WhatsApp all the time, and it's the easiest one to get wrong. The answer depends on your case: when you filed, what permit you hold and whether your passport has a stamp (stempel). Don't start at the new employer just because HR says it's fine. Your status is your responsibility, not HR's.

Joel (an illustrative example, not a real client), a forklift operator from Cebu, moved to a new warehouse without checking with the voivode first. A few weeks later he found something was missing in his case. We fixed the papers and filed correctly, but it would have been far easier if he had asked before moving.

A foreigner may also work for more than one employer, according to biznes.gov.pl, whatever the legal basis for each. But for each employer your permit has to fit. Don't rely on a coworker's story.

What if your karta pobytu is about to expire?

That's riskier, because two clocks run together: the employer change and the renewal. If you have a new employer and your card is close to expiring, the two may be combined in one application depending on your case. Don't wait for the last week.

Plan the job change and the renewal together, not one by one

For official process details, see gov.pl/web/cudzoziemcy.

You're not alone in this. Send us a screenshot of your decision and we'll tell you the next step. Legal Solutions — 98% approval rate. Drop us a WhatsApp at +48 735 248 525, we read every message: wa.me/48735248525.