Read your residence permit decision before starting a new job in Poland. The wording on the plastic card is not enough. An ordinary temporary residence and work permit may specify the employer, position and employment conditions. A valid card alone does not establish permission to work for any company.
Identify your permit and application stage
If an ordinary residence and work permit has already been granted, changing company may require an amendment. If your first application is still pending, there is no granted permit to amend: you need to report the changed circumstances and update evidence in the existing case. In either situation, check the separate legal basis for working for the new company.
Permanent residence, EU long-term resident status and a statutory work-permit exemption follow different rules. A family-based card or a diploma must be assessed against its actual legal conditions. The EU Blue Card has a separate regime; do not automatically apply the ordinary permit route described here to it.
Do not confuse the two notifications
A foreign national staying under an ordinary temporary residence and work permit must notify the issuing voivode in writing of losing work with an employer named in the permit within 15 working days. The employer has a separate notification duty with a 15-calendar-day period. An HR notification does not replace yours. The official regional guidance distinguishes the two obligations.
Articles 120–121 of the Foreigners Act govern amendments. Check the event date, applicable route and deadlines promptly. Keep evidence of proper delivery rather than relying only on an email exchange with your manager.
What to review with the new company
- The end date of the old contract and proposed first day of the new job.
- Employer identities, including the user employer if an employment agency is involved.
- Position, pay, working hours, contract type and employment period.
- Your residence basis and separate work authorisation before a new decision.
- The employer annex, health insurance and relevant supporting evidence.
- The competent office, case reference and submission channel.
Consider this hypothetical situation: your card remains valid for another year, but the decision names your previous employer. That is not enough to conclude that you can start elsewhere tomorrow. First identify a lawful route and the actions required from both sides. This is an illustrative scenario, not a client case.
An amendment does not renew the permit
Changing an ordinary permit does not automatically extend its validity. If expiry is approaching, also assess whether a new residence application is needed. Filing an amendment request does not, by itself, create unrestricted permission to work for the new employer.
Common questions
Do I need a replacement card? An amendment of a temporary residence and work permit does not itself require replacing the card, as UdSC explains.
Can I simply send a new contract? It may be relevant evidence, but it does not replace the prescribed procedure, annex or check of work entitlement.
Pobyto can help review a work-based residence card case and the employer’s document list. If the annex is delayed, read our guide to the employer signature in MOS.
