For a work-based residence case, organise the evidence around three questions: what allows you to remain in Poland now, what work you intend to do, and which procedure matches that situation. A list copied from another worker’s case may miss the distinction between a new residence application and an amendment.
Identify the application before collecting documents
Find your current visa or residence decision, the expiry dates and any pending case reference. A plastic card alone may not show every employment condition in the underlying decision. If your employer is changing, first read changing jobs.
The Foreigners Act sets the framework for residence and work permits. Separate employer work authorisation follows a different process, described by the voivodeship office. One document should not be assumed to solve both questions in every case.
Your preparation checklist
- Passport and evidence of your current residence basis.
- Existing residence decision and relevant work authorisation, if any.
- Application details, photograph and evidence of the correct payments.
- Information about the proposed job and the employer’s legal identity.
- Evidence relevant to insurance and any occupation-specific requirements.
- Records of an earlier application or requests from the office, where applicable.
This is an organising checklist, not a claim that every case needs exactly the same attachments. The current online process and document format also matter.
What your employer contributes
The employer supplies the employment information and signs its required annex in the appropriate process. Confirm the legal employer, job title and duties, contract type, working time, pay and employment period. See the MOS FAQ and our Annex 1 guide.
A recruiter’s email, a draft contract and an employer annex can describe different versions of the job. Resolve discrepancies before submission. If the employer changes the offer later, tell the person handling your residence file rather than assume the first documents remain sufficient.
A practical file structure
Create folders for identity, current status, employment, payments and correspondence. Keep the signed final version of each document distinct from drafts. Record who is responsible for obtaining an outstanding item and when you last followed up.
For example, if HR has provided the annex but the contract has a different start date, the next action is to reconcile those documents. Uploading both without explanation does not answer the inconsistency. This is an illustrative preparation example, not a completed client case.
Before you begin the proposed job
Have the right to perform that particular work checked separately. An application receipt alone does not establish it. Read working while waiting and discuss any deadline or planned job change early.
Our work residence service includes application preparation, direct employer coordination and correspondence with the immigration office. We explain which tasks remain with you and what the agreed service covers.