New regulations for foreigners from June 1, 2025 - What is changing?

Employment of foreigners - full electronicization and new obligations

An obligation has been introduced to submit all applications for work permits and declarations of entrusting work to a foreigner exclusively electronically via the website praca.gov.pl . Documents submitted in paper form will not be considered. Employers are obliged to send a copy of the concluded contract before the foreigner starts work. In the event of early termination of work or failure to start work by the foreigner, appropriate information must be immediately submitted to the employment office.

The obligation to conduct the so-called labor market test has been eliminated , which is intended to simplify procedures and speed up the process of obtaining work permits. The introduction of new regulations for foreigners is also intended to reduce bureaucracy, which in turn should speed up the processes related to the employment of foreigners in Poland. Legalization of residence and work will now be faster and simpler.

New rules for studies for foreigners

As of June 1, 2025, a limit has been introduced on the admission of foreigners to studies - they cannot constitute more than 50% of the total number of students at a given university. If this threshold is exceeded, the university will not be able to admit new foreigners until the proportion drops below 50%. In addition, foreigners applying to study in Poland must present a document confirming knowledge of the language in which the education is conducted, at least at B2 level.

Changes in the visa system

The new regulations eliminate the possibility of taking up work in Poland by foreigners with visas issued by other Schengen countries for purposes such as tourism or participation in cultural events. From June 1, 2025, these visas do not entitle to work in Poland. The introduction of such changes is a response to the problem of illegal work in Poland and is intended to improve control over foreigners. The new regulations for foreigners mean that only people with appropriate visa documents will be able to work in Poland .

Strengthening supervision and sanctions

have been introduced for illegal employment of foreigners – penalties can range from PLN 3,000 to PLN 50,000 and will be imposed in proportion to the number of foreigners employed. In addition, the Border Guard and the Labor Inspectorate will gain the right to conduct inspections of the legality of work without prior notice . The strengthening of supervision is intended to minimize abuses related to illegal employment of foreigners. The new regulations for foreigners introduce clear and severe penalties that are intended to deter employers from breaking the law.

How will the new regulations for foreigners affect workers and students?

People who legally work and study in the territory of the Republic of Poland do not have to worry that the new regulations will have a negative impact on them. Reducing the number of foreigners at universities will not result in removing students from a given institution - even if foreigners currently constitute over 50% of students. However, the changes may affect people who are just about to start their studies. Under the new regulations, illegal employment will be subject to even greater sanctions . This also means greater protection against abuse by employers. Some foreigners may start to wonder how to legalize their stay and work. In our law firm, we are happy to help both foreigners and employers who want to legally employ specialists from abroad.

We will help you with such matters as:

• Polish citizenship;
• granting Polish citizenship;
• work permits in Poland;
• temporary and permanent residence permits;
• extension of work and residence permit in Poland;
• ways of acquiring Polish citizenship;
• power of attorney to represent a foreigner;
• business services related to the legalization of foreigners.

Summary

The new regulations for foreigners aim to simplify administrative procedures, increase control over migration and adapt Polish law to European Union regulations. These changes introduce full electronicization of processes related to the employment of foreigners, new obligations for employers and restrictions on studies and the visa system for foreigners. For employers, this means the need to adapt to new administrative requirements, and for foreigners - changes in application procedures and requirements regarding language proficiency and qualifications. If you need legal support after the introduction of new regulations, contact us - comprehensive service for foreigners is our specialty.