New requirements for Poland work authorization took effect Aug. 22

Poland ended the option for citizens of Colombia, Georgia and Venezuela to work legally under a 90-day visa-free stay, closing a popular route for foreign hiring as of Aug. 22.

Separate residence titles replace the visa-free loophole

Previously, nationals from these three countries could travel to Poland without an entry visa and start working immediately once an employer secured a standard work permit. Under a regulation issued by the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy, a visa-free entry stamp no longer counts as a valid basis of stay for employment.

Foreign workers from Colombia, Georgia and Venezuela now must hold two separate authorizations:

• A labor authorization, such as a voivode-issued work permit or employer declaration

• A dedicated residence title permitting employment, such as a national D visa or a temporary residence and work permit

The policy rollout took place across two stages in August. The first restriction on Aug. 15 prohibited citizens of the three nations from entering Poland visa-free if their stated purpose was work. The second stage on Aug. 22 stripped the right to perform work on visa-free stays for anyone who hadn't already begun their job.

Narrow grandfathering rules for workers already in Poland

The rule change doesn't alter Schengen tourist entry, meaning visitors from Colombia, Georgia and Venezuela can still travel to Poland for up to 90 days for tourism or business meetings. Remote workers operating entirely for foreign clients without local contracts also fall outside domestic labor authorization rules, though anyone reviewing Poland's residency rules must ensure their stay remains lawful.

Transitional provisions are strict for workers already in the country. A foreign national may continue working on a visa-free stay only if they physically started employment before Aug. 22, hold a valid permit and work under unchanged terms until their 90-day stay expires.

Those who submitted an in-country residence application before Aug. 22 and received an official submission stamp in their passport may also keep working while their file is processed. Anyone holding an unactivated work permit or looking to change employers must halt work and obtain a national D visa from a consulate abroad.