Part-Time Work Rules for Students in Poland

Who needs a work permit

If you hold EU or EEA citizenship, you work in Poland the same way a Polish citizen does. No permit, no hour cap, just a normal employment contract.

If you come from outside the EU/EEA, the rule depends on your university. Article 87 of the Act on Employment Promotion has long let full-time students at Polish higher education institutions work without a separate permit. Since 1 December 2025, that exemption only applies if your university appears on an approved register held by the Ministry of the Interior and Administration, according to EUCON Law .

The December 2025 change, explained

Before December 2025, any non-EU student enrolled full-time at a Polish university could work without a permit, whatever the institution. That blanket rule ended. Now the Ministry checks whether your institution meets statutory requirements and sits on its official register before you count as exempt.

Students who already had a job before 1 December 2025 kept working under the old rules during a transitional window, and that window closed on 30 June 2026. If you started a job during that grace period and your university is not on the approved list, ask your employer whether you now need a standard work permit to keep working legally.

Students at unlisted institutions need an employer-sponsored work permit issued through the local voivodeship office, the same route other foreign workers use, according to the official Study in Poland portal. You cannot apply for this permit yourself. Your employer submits it, and processing takes weeks, so start early if your university falls outside the exemption.

Check your university's status first

Ask your international office directly whether your university is on the Ministry's approved list before you accept a job offer. Do not assume full-time enrollment alone still guarantees permit-free work, since that assumption stopped holding in December 2025.

If your university confirms it is listed, you sign an employment contract without extra immigration paperwork. If it is not listed, budget time for the work permit process before you start applying to jobs.

No fixed hour cap for exempt students

Poland does not run the fixed weekly hour limit that some other European countries apply to non-EU students. Once you qualify for the work-permit exemption, you work part-time, full-time, or freelance without a separate hour ceiling tied to your student status.

Your actual hours still depend on your contract and what your employer offers, so check the terms before you sign anything.

Where students find jobs

Kraków, Wrocław, and Warsaw host large shared-service and call-center hubs, and these employers regularly hire students for customer support, back-office, and multilingual roles. Retail, hospitality, and food delivery are common entry points if you want flexible shifts around your timetable.

Most universities run a career office (biuro karier) with a student job board and employer fairs. Tutoring, especially in English or your native language, is another common option, along with campus roles like library or admissions desk assistance.

Pay and contracts

The gross minimum wage for 2026 is PLN 31.40 per hour and PLN 4,806 per month, set under the Regulation of the Council of Ministers, according to Mercans . Employers hire you on a standard employment contract (umowa o pracę) or a civil contract (umowa zlecenie). The two differ in tax treatment and benefits, so ask which type you are signing.

Keep copies of your contract and pay slips. If your status ever gets checked, you need to show proof of enrollment and, where required, your work permit or confirmation of your university's exemption status.

PESEL number and getting paid

Before you start any job, apply for a PESEL number at your local city office. Employers use this identification number for tax and social security purposes, and most will ask for it before they can put you on payroll.

You also need a Polish bank account for most employers to pay you, since cash payment is uncommon for regular contracts. Bring your passport, visa or residence card, and university enrollment certificate when you open an account, since banks usually ask for all three.

Staying eligible while you work

Your work-permit exemption, where it applies, is tied to your full-time enrollment status. If you drop to part-time study, take a leave of absence, or fall below the credits needed to count as a full-time student, you risk losing the exemption even mid-year.

Tell your international office before you make any change to your study load if you are currently working under the exemption, so you know in advance whether your right to work without a permit still holds.

Taxes on your earnings

Poland taxes employment income through the standard payroll system, and your employer withholds tax and social contributions directly from your pay under an umowa o pracę. If you stay and work in Poland long enough during a tax year, you may become a Polish tax resident and need to file an annual PIT tax return, so keep your pay slips and any tax documents your employer issues.

Students under 26 qualify for a personal income tax exemption on earnings up to a set annual threshold, so ask your employer's payroll team or a local tax adviser how this applies to your specific contract and income.