It's 6:40 a.m. on a site in Wrocław. Your foreman hands you a contract and says, 'Sign here, the permit comes later.' You've heard the stories: workers who started on a handshake and were sent off site the day an inspector showed up. So do you sign, or do you wait? Here's the short version. A work permit for construction workers in Poland is filed online by your employer, not by you. For a stay longer than three months the employer's fee is PLN 400. And the document that protects you is the permit decision itself, not a promise. This guide walks through what to check, in order, so you start work on day one with the right paper in hand.
So who actually applies for a construction work permit in Poland?
Your employer does. Since 1 June 2025, work permit applications go only through the praca.gov.pl portal, signed electronically. Paper applications are left unprocessed. The employer also pays the fee: PLN 400 for work longer than three months and PLN 200 for shorter work, for applications filed from 1 December 2025. Always confirm the current amount on gov.pl/web/cudzoziemcy before anyone asks you for money. The full filing steps are in How Your Employer Applies for a Work Permit in Poland.
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Why does this matter on a building site? Because construction runs on chains: a developer, a general contractor, three subcontractors, and a staffing company somewhere in the middle. The permit is issued for one specific employer. If the company on your permit isn't the company that actually sends you to work, you have a problem, even if the money arrives on time.
- The employer submits the application online and pays the fee. You should not pay a 'permit fee' to a recruiter or agent.
- You wait for the decision. Starting work before the permit is valid puts both you and the employer at risk.
- The employer must also upload a copy of your signed contract to the official portal before you start, according to the rules introduced in 2025.
- You keep a copy of the decision and the contract. Photos on your phone are fine, but get paper too.
Worried about a recruiter who wants money upfront? Read How to Find an Employer in Poland From India: 5 Checks Before You Pay Anyone. The same checks apply whether you come from Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka or the Philippines.
What must be on the permit, and is your foreman really your employer?
Open the decision and read it like a contract. A work permit usually lets you work only under the conditions written in it. Those can include the employer, the position, the working time, the type of contract and the minimum pay. If your real job doesn't match the paper, you're exposed.
- Employer name and address. Does it match the company on your contract and payslip? A staffing firm and the site owner are different entities.
- Position. 'Construction worker' on paper but you're operating a crane or doing welding? Ask whether that's covered.
- Working time and contract type. Full time on a contract of employment is different from a civil-law contract. They are treated differently in a residence case later.
- Pay. The amount on the permit is a minimum. Your actual pay should be at least that.
- Dates. The permit period is the period you can legally work, so mark the end date in your calendar now.
If any of these is wrong, say so before you start, not in month five. A mistake that costs nothing to fix on day one can cost a new application later.
How much must you be paid? Minimum wage, comparable workers and the PLN 4,806 floor
Money is where site stories go wrong, so let's be concrete. Two rules apply together. First, the salary in your contract cannot be lower than what the employer pays other people doing comparable work. So the Indian steel fixer can't be paid less than the Polish one on the same crew. Second, the 2026 minimum wage in Poland is PLN 4,806 gross per month (PLN 31.40 per hour for the contracts where an hourly minimum applies). These are floors, not targets.
Later, if you apply for a residence card on the basis of that job, the salary level becomes a test that cases can fail. We explain how in PLN 4,806 Floor: Karta Pobytu Work Salary Threshold and Why Cases Fail on It. Social insurance matters too, because the employer registers you with ZUS, and gaps in contributions show up in your file. Official information is at zus.pl.
- Gross is not what lands in your bank account. Ask for a sample payslip showing gross, deductions and net.
- Accommodation or tools deducted from your pay? Get the amount in writing before you sign.
- Overtime and weekend work should be on the payslip, not paid 'in cash on the side'. Cash pay with no record leaves you with no proof of income.
What if the site closes or the subcontractor disappears?
It happens in construction more than anywhere else: the project ends, the subcontractor loses its contract, or a payment dispute stops the work. Your permit doesn't move with you. You can't just walk onto the next site with the same paper.
There are strict deadlines for telling the authorities, and a new employer usually means a new application or a changed permit. Read Changing Jobs in Poland on a Work Permit: 15 Working Days to Act before you quit or accept a transfer. The employer has its own duty to inform the voivode about changes within 7 days. If a decision goes against you, the appeal period is 14 days from delivery, so open your mail the same day it arrives.
When your permit is close to its end, do not wait for it to 'extend'. Your employer needs to file a new application in time, and the steps are in our guide on work permit renewal in 2026. Ask the employer about it early, ideally at least a few months before the end date.
Sunil is a composite example based on typical situations, not a real client. He was a steel fixer from Punjab. His contract named a staffing company, but he spent months on a general contractor's site. When the staffing company lost the contract, he had a permit tied to a company with no work for him. He checked the paperwork, contacted a new employer within the deadline, and filed for the right permit instead of working 'unofficially' and hoping.
Practical tip: photograph your permit decision, contract and first payslip on day one and email them to yourself. If anything goes wrong, those three documents answer 90% of the questions.
From work permit to Karta Pobytu: when do you need the card?
A work permit lets you work. A Karta Pobytu (Polish residence permit) lets you stay. They are two documents from two procedures, and mixing them up is expensive. The difference is explained in Work Permit vs Karta Pobytu: Which One Lets You Work in Poland?. For residence matters, the office is the voivodeship office, such as the Mazowieckie voivode in Warsaw, and the filing is done in MOS.
- Do not let your legal stay run out while waiting for the employer to start the permit. Count backwards from your visa or card end date.
- File your residence application on time. A late filing can cost you the right to the protection that comes with a pending case.
- Keep every stamp, receipt and letter in one folder.
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