Employers of Poland Report: Huge Disparities in Legalization of Foreign Workers in Poland

The latest report from Employers of Poland reveals waiting times for foreign workers' legalization documents ranging from a few weeks up to three years. Here are the key findings and insights.

The latest report by Employers of Poland on the legalization of foreign workers uncovers significant variations in the speed of decision-making and the workload of offices across different regions. Waiting times for legalization documents vary from several weeks up to as much as three years, depending on the province.

• Varied waiting times: In various regions, residency decisions may be issued within 3 months or may take up to 3 years, setting a record within the EU.
• Divergent standards of officials' work: In the Warmian-Masurian province, one official processes an average of 2,100 cases annually, whereas in Opole only about 900.
• Wide discrepancies in issuing residence cards: In some provinces, residence cards are issued within 25 days, while in others the same process can take up to 18 months.
• Migration necessity for the economy: Poland requires 200,000 to 350,000 new migrants annually to maintain a stable economic and pension system.
• Uneven office workload: Each official handles between 750 and 2,350 cases per year, leading to significant differences in the service of foreign workers.
• Changes in migration trends: According to UN forecasts, Poland may become a country with negative net migration in the future.

The report highlights that unifying and accelerating legalization procedures is essential for labor market development and supporting employers seeking workers from abroad.