Short version: as of 1 July 2025, a foreign graduate of a Polish university no longer has automatic access to the labour market by virtue of the diploma. The exemption from a work permit (zezwolenie na pracę) now applies only to graduates of universities listed by the Ministry of Science. If your school is on the list — you may work without a permit after defence, and the karta pobytu on the work basis is filed under the standard route. If your school is not on the list — a full zezwolenie typu A or oświadczenie is required, otherwise the employer faces a 3,000 PLN fine per case of illegal employment, and you face a refusal on karta pobytu and risk of deportation.

This article explains how to verify your university's status, how to switch in time, what to file in MOS v2.0, and what to do if your school has dropped off the list.

What Changed in July 2025

Until 30 June 2025, every full-time graduate of a Polish higher-education institution was exempt from the work-permit requirement. A diploma was enough for an employer to hire without further authorisation. The rule made Poland one of the most student-friendly markets in the EU.

From 1 July 2025 the rule has narrowed. The exemption applies only when:

You completed dzienne studia (full-time study) — part-time and evening forms no longer qualify.
Your university is on the Wykaz uczelni publicznych i niepublicznych, których absolwenci są zwolnieni z obowiązku posiadania zezwolenia na pracę (the "Wykaz"). The list is maintained by the Ministry of Science and updated quarterly.
No more than 3 years have passed since the defence (after that, the exemption ends and the standard route applies).

If any condition fails, the exemption does not apply, and the employer must arrange either an oświadczenie (for nationals of Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, and Armenia) or a zezwolenie typu A (for the rest).

Checking Your University

The Wykaz is published on the Ministry's website and updated each quarter. Check by the institution's exact name — including the specific department or branch (filia). Sometimes the main campus is on the list while a branch in another city is not.

If your university is on the list — no further work-permit step is needed. If not — three scenarios apply.

Scenario A: University on the List

The simplest path. After defence:

Obtain the original dyplom (or the Suplement do dyplomu). Some universities take up to 6 weeks to issue — plan ahead.
Sign the umowa o pracę. The contract should reference the graduate exemption: "Pracownik jest absolwentem uczelni z Wykazu MNiSW".
Within 30 days of signing, file a wniosek o kartę czasowego pobytu in MOS v2.0 on the work basis (Article 114 of the Ustawa o cudzoziemcach).
Documents are basic: diploma + suplement, umowa o pracę, passport, photo, 340 PLN state fee. Załącznik nr 1 from the employer — standard, no zezwolenie attached.
Processing time — 4–8 months in Mazowieckie, faster than ordinary work cases.

Scenario B: Not on the List, but Citizen of UA / BY / MD / GE / AM

Citizens of these five countries (plus partial Lithuanian categories from 2024) may work in Poland under the simplified oświadczenie procedure. The employer registers the oświadczenie at the local Powiatowy Urząd Pracy online within 1–7 days. Work may start immediately after registration — for 24 months, extendable.

For the karta pobytu:

Employer registers the oświadczenie at the PUP before contract signing.
The umowa o pracę is signed.
The wniosek o kartę pobytu on the work basis is filed in MOS v2.0, attaching a copy of the registered oświadczenie.

This is the path graduates used to take before July 2025 regardless of university. It now remains for nationals of these countries only.

Scenario C: Not on the List, Not a Citizen of the Five Countries

The most demanding scenario. Applies to nationals of India, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Pakistan, the UAE, the US, the UK, Indonesia, Nepal, and others. The employer must obtain a full zezwolenie typu A — a work permit issued by the voivode on the employer's application.

Procedure:

Employer runs a labour-market test (5–14 days at the PUP — verifying that no local candidate is available).
After the test — file the wniosek o zezwolenie typu A in MOS v2.0 (since July 2025 — electronic only).
The voivode verifies: employer's ZUS payments, real activity, role-qualification fit, minimum salary.
Permit issuance time in Mazowieckie — 2–4 months.
After receiving the permit, the umowa o pracę is signed and the wniosek o kartę pobytu is filed.

End-to-end, from defence to issued card — 8–14 months. Slower than the route a Ukrainian classmate uses with an oświadczenie issued in a week.

Common Mistakes

1. Employer relying on old rules. Many Polish small and mid-size employers are unaware of the July 2025 reform and hire graduates "on the diploma" without paperwork. Six months later — a PIP or Border Guard inspection, 3,000 PLN fine per worker, and the graduate is denied karta pobytu for a year.

2. Part-time form of study. The exemption never applied to studia niestacjonarne (part-time, evening). Often missed by MBA students and certain IT programmes. With a part-time diploma, the only routes are oświadczenie or zezwolenie.

3. Filing after the visa expires. Student visas often end the day after defence. If no wniosek o kartę pobytu has been filed by then, the stay becomes illegal. File before the visa expires; the UPO grants legal stay during processing.

4. Three-year window error. The exemption runs for 3 years from the diploma issue date. Defending in June 2022 and working without a permit until June 2025 — fine. After June 2025 — a permit is required regardless of the Wykaz.

5. Branch outside Poland. If you studied at a foreign branch of a Polish university, the exemption does not apply — the Wykaz covers only institutions on Polish territory.

What to File in MOS v2.0

Standard package:

Wniosek o kartę czasowego pobytu (form effective 1 December 2025).
Passport with the page showing the current basis of stay.
Diploma (or Suplement do dyplomu) — with sworn translation if issued in a foreign language.
University statement confirming dzienne studia, with reference to the Wykaz where applicable.
Umowa o pracę at salary from 4,806 PLN gross.
Załącznik nr 1 from the employer.
Where applicable: oświadczenie registered at PUP (for the five countries) or zezwolenie typu A (for others).
Health insurance or ZUS/NFZ confirmation.
340 PLN state fee receipt.

Can You Continue Studying and File on the Work Basis?

Yes. If you go directly into a master's or PhD after the bachelor's, you may file karta pobytu on either basis — study or work. Most choose "work", because it gives full labour-market access (not limited to 20 hours per week of study time).

To keep studying and work without limits — file on "work". If the studies are primary and work is occasional — "study".

When You Need a Lawyer

Self-handling is feasible if: school is on the Wykaz, employer is experienced with foreigners, diploma is in Polish, no issues with prior status.

Engage a lawyer if:

school not on the Wykaz, and the employer cannot run a zezwolenie typu A;
gap of more than 30 days between defence and filing;
new role at a different university or employer in another voivodeship (relocation + re-registration);
family is filed in parallel (spouse, children) — joint reunification needed;
the previous student karta was cancelled or returned.

LegalWin's fee for a graduate's karta pobytu starts at 1,800 PLN if the school is on the Wykaz. From 3,200 PLN if a full zezwolenie typu A with a labour-market test is needed.

Book a graduate consultation →

This article is informational. The right route depends on nationality, study form, and whether the university is on the Wykaz. For individual cases, please obtain legal advice.

Related materials:

From Student Visa to Karta Pobytu in 2026: New Restrictions for Graduates