From 22 August 2026, new rules apply to citizens of Georgia, Colombia and Venezuela who want to work in Poland. A visa-free stay is no longer sufficient to start employment on the basis of a work permit. People coming to Poland for work generally need an appropriate visa or another residence status allowing employment, as well as a work permit or another legal basis for work where required. The changes do not prevent citizens of these countries from working in Poland, but they make it more important to prepare the correct documents before travelling.
Contents:
- New rules for working in Poland from 22 August 2026
- What documents do you need to work in Poland now?
- What happens if you were already working in Poland before 22 August?
- Can citizens of Georgia, Colombia and Venezuela still come to work in Poland?
- How Intraservis Job helps you legally work in Poland
New rules for working in Poland from 22 August 2026
The rules for citizens of Georgia, Colombia and Venezuela who want to work in Poland changed on 22 August 2026. Under a new regulation issued by the Polish Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy, people from these countries can no longer use a visa-free stay as the basis for working in Poland with a work permit.
This does not mean that citizens of these countries can no longer work in Poland. They can still be legally employed, but they need an appropriate visa or another residence status that allows them to work, together with a work permit where one is required.
Which countries are affected by the new rules?
The new regulation applies specifically to citizens of Georgia, Colombia and Venezuela. It was introduced by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy on 31 July 2026, published in the Journal of Laws on 7 August and entered into force on 22 August 2026.
The change is particularly important for people planning to come to Poland specifically for employment. Before travelling, candidates from these three countries should check which visa or residence document they need and make sure that both their stay and employment will be legal.
Visa-free travel no longer allows you to work in Poland
The key point is the difference between entering Poland without a visa and having the right to work in Poland. Visa-free travel itself has not been completely abolished for citizens of Georgia, Colombia and Venezuela. However, since 22 August 2026, a visa-free stay is no longer sufficient for taking up employment in Poland on the basis of a work permit.
According to the official information from the Polish Public Employment Services, people from these countries who want to start working in Poland generally need an appropriate visa or another residence status allowing employment. A work permit alone, combined with a visa-free stay, is no longer enough.
There are transitional rules for people who had already started working legally in Poland before 22 August 2026. Their situation is different and depends on when they started employment and the documents they already held.
What documents do you need to work in Poland now?
If you are a citizen of Georgia, Colombia or Venezuela and you are planning to come to Poland for work, you should prepare the required documents before travelling. The new rules affect both the basis for entering Poland for employment and the documents that allow you to work legally after arrival.
In most cases, this means that you need both a legal basis for your stay that allows employment and a legal basis for performing the work itself. The exact documents depend on your individual situation.
A work permit alone is no longer enough
Previously, citizens of Georgia, Colombia and Venezuela could enter Poland under visa-free travel and legally start employment if they had a valid work permit. This route is no longer available.
Since 22 August 2026, a work permit combined with a visa-free stay is not sufficient to legally start working in Poland. The same restriction also applies to people who have a seasonal work permit.
There are exceptions, including transitional rules for some people who started working before the new regulations entered into force and cases where a foreigner is legally exempt from the requirement to have a work permit.
Visa or another residence document allowing work
If you are coming to Poland specifically to work, you generally need an appropriate visa that allows employment. Since 15 August 2026, citizens of Georgia, Colombia and Venezuela who enter Poland for the purpose of work are required to obtain a visa instead of using visa-free entry.
For people who are already legally staying in Poland, another appropriate residence status may apply, such as a temporary residence permit. Official information from the Polish Public Employment Services confirms that employment requires an appropriate visa or another residence document that gives the person the right to work.
However, having a visa or residence document does not automatically mean that you can take any job in Poland. Depending on your situation, your employer may still need to obtain a work permit or another document legalising your employment.
Before travelling to Poland, make sure that both your stay and your employment will be legal. This is especially important if the main purpose of your trip is to start a new job.
What happens if you were already working in Poland before 22 August?
The new rules do not automatically stop everyone from Georgia, Colombia and Venezuela who was already working in Poland under visa-free travel. Transitional rules protect some people who started their employment before 22 August 2026.
The important point is whether you had actually started working before the new regulation entered into force. Simply having a work permit is not always enough.
Workers who started employment before the new rules
If you are a citizen of Georgia, Colombia or Venezuela and you started working in Poland before 22 August 2026 on the basis of a valid work permit while staying in Poland under visa-free travel, you can continue working under the previous rules.
According to the Polish Public Employment Services, this transitional protection applies until the end of your current permitted visa-free stay.
There may also be an important option for people who applied for a temporary residence and work permit. If you were legally working before submitting your application and meet the relevant requirements, you may be able to continue working while waiting for the decision on your residence permit.
What if you had a permit but had not started work?
Having a work permit issued before 22 August 2026 does not automatically give you the right to use the transitional rules. You must have actually started working on the basis of that permit before the new regulation entered into force.
If you had a work permit but had not started employment before 22 August, you cannot start working under visa-free travel using that permit. The transitional rule also does not apply if you received a new work permit after the new regulations entered into force.
If you are in this situation, you need to make sure that you have an appropriate visa or another residence status allowing employment before starting work in Poland.
Can citizens of Georgia, Colombia and Venezuela still come to work in Poland?
Yes. The new regulations do not introduce a general ban on employing citizens of Georgia, Colombia or Venezuela in Poland. People from these countries can still come to Poland for employment, but the procedure is now different and requires more preparation before travelling.
The main change concerns the documents that allow you to enter or stay in Poland for employment and legally start working. This makes it particularly important to check the requirements before making travel arrangements.
Working in Poland is still possible
Citizens of Georgia, Colombia and Venezuela can still be legally employed by Polish companies. However, they must have an appropriate visa or another residence status that allows employment and, where required, a valid work permit or another legal basis for performing work.
The new regulations therefore change the procedure rather than closing the Polish labour market to workers from these countries. Official guidance from the Polish Public Employment Services confirms that legal employment remains possible if the requirements concerning both legal stay and legal work are met.
Prepare your documents before travelling for work
If you are planning to move to Poland specifically for employment, do not assume that you can first enter the country under visa-free travel and complete all the necessary work formalities after arrival. Under the new rules, this may prevent you from legally starting your job.
Before travelling, check the conditions of your job offer, which document will legalise your employment and which visa or residence document you need. Your employer or recruitment agency should also provide clear information about the formalities required before you start work.
Preparing these documents in advance can help you avoid a situation where you arrive in Poland but cannot legally begin the job you came for.
How Intraservis Job helps you legally work in Poland
Changes in immigration and employment rules can make preparing for work in Poland more complicated, especially if you are unfamiliar with the Polish system. Intraservis Job supports foreign candidates throughout the process – from finding a suitable job to preparing the documents needed to start employment legally.
This allows you to check the conditions of your employment and understand the required formalities before you travel to Poland.
Support with work permits and employment documents
Intraservis Job helps candidates complete the formalities required for legal employment in Poland. Depending on your citizenship and individual situation, this may include preparing or obtaining a work permit and other employment documents, as well as providing information about the documents you need for legal stay.
The requirements are not the same for every foreign worker. Our team checks your individual situation and explains which steps need to be completed before you can legally start your job.
Find a legal job before coming to Poland
You do not have to come to Poland first and only then start looking for employment. With Intraservis Job, you can check available positions, discuss the conditions with a recruiter and start preparing the necessary documents before your arrival.
This is particularly important for citizens of Georgia, Colombia and Venezuela after the changes introduced in August 2026. Preparing your employment and documents in advance can help you avoid arriving in Poland without the legal basis needed to start work.
Planning to work in Poland? Check our current job offers and contact Intraservis Job. We will help you understand which documents you need to start working legally in Poland.