Poland has introduced a series of new wage and immigration requirements that will affect both local employees and foreign nationals working under various permit categories. According to updates released by Polish authorities, employers must comply with revised minimum salary thresholds, with major adjustments taking effect from January 2026.
Beginning January 1, 2026, Poland will increase its national minimum wage, a move that will impact Polish citizens and foreign workers employed on Work Permits and Single Permits. Employers are required to ensure that salaries are comparable to what local workers earn in similar positions and sufficiently high to support employees and their dependents. Benefits and allowances will no longer count toward minimum salary calculations, and all foreign workers must receive their pay in Polish zloty (PLN) through a local payroll system. The new rules apply to ongoing and renewal applications as well.
In addition, Poland has already implemented updated salary thresholds for Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) permit holders, effective November 19, 2024. Monthly salary requirements have been revised to PLN 5,926.63 in Warsaw, PLN 5,084.37 in Kraków, PLN 5,190.16 in Wrocław, and PLN 4,965.30 in Gdańsk. These benchmarks also apply to EU ICT Permit holders, though some applications may be assessed individually to ensure competitiveness with market rates.
The EU Blue Card salary requirement was also raised earlier in 2024 to PLN 12,272.58 gross—an increase from PLN 10,733.22—representing 150 per cent of the national average salary. Applications submitted before February 2025 but finalized afterward must still meet this updated threshold.
Poland has further tightened the process for obtaining the Single Permit, which covers both work and residence authorization. Effective July 1, 2025, individuals entering Poland on student visas or holding long-term residency from other Schengen states must first obtain a Polish national work visa before becoming eligible to apply for the Single Permit. This marks a significant shift from previous regulations that allowed such individuals to apply for the permit from within Poland. Under the new rule, affected applicants must return to their home country or country of legal residence to secure a D-type national work visa at a Polish consulate before beginning the Single Permit application process.
