Lengthy procedures, red tape, legal loopholes, and the lack of coherent tools for verifying the status of foreign workers are currently among the greatest challenges faced by Polish enterprises. The Polish HR Forum (PFHR) has presented a position paper containing proposals for reforming the system of legalising the work and residence of foreigners. The demands—developed on the basis of member companies' experiences and the conclusions of the Migration Forum 2026 conference—have received broad support from the most important organisations representing employers in Poland.

State security and the efficiency of legalisation procedures are not conflicting values. A transparent, predictable, and efficient system for legalising the employment of foreigners allows the administration to concentrate resources on entities and cases that genuinely generate risk. The legal route should be easier for a foreigner and an honest employer than operating outside the system. At the same time, the system should enable reliable verification of entities using migration procedures and the effective elimination of abuses.

The presented proposals are a direct response to the daily operational problems of companies, while fully respecting matters related to state security.

A comprehensive approach to system reform

The demands presented by the Polish HR Forum include relieving the burden on voivodship offices by transferring the issuance of work permits to the jurisdiction of poviat labour offices. In the PFHR's assessment, this solution could shorten waiting times for decisions and streamline the conduct of proceedings at the local level. One of the proposed solutions is also the creation of an Electronic Profile for the Legality of a Foreigner's Residence and Work—a state digital tool enabling employers to conduct a binding verification of a foreigner's residence status. In the proposed model, state authorities would be responsible for the accuracy of information regarding the legality of residence, while the employer would be responsible for the correct execution of the work legalisation procedure and assigning the work under the declared conditions.

The Polish HR Forum also calls for the creation of a "Trusted Employer" status, which would be available to any entrepreneur meeting objective legal compliance criteria, regardless of their size. This status should not reward solely the scale of activity, but above all its reliability and compliance with applicable regulations.

The PFHR's demands also include enabling the use of a trusted profile signature (podpis zaufany) when concluding contracts with foreigners. Another proposal is the creation of a controlled procedure allowing foreigners who have lost their legal residence status, but still reside in Poland, to regularise their status without the need to leave the country beforehand. The aim of the proposed solution would be to enable such individuals to voluntarily disclose their situation to state authorities and return to legal status following an individual verification.

Broad support from the labour market

The need for urgent streamlining of procedures and the market-wide nature of the indicated problems are confirmed by the official support for the PFHR position from key business organisations. Declarations of support have been submitted by the Lewiatan Confederation, the American Chamber of Commerce in Poland (AmCham), the Business Centre Club (BCC), the Federation of Polish Entrepreneurs (FPP), and the Polish Chamber of Commerce (PIH).

– The presented proposals are an effective compromise between the needs of the economy and security requirements. We are committed to creating a stable, transparent, and predictable legal environment that will allow Polish companies to respond effectively to staff shortages, while providing foreigners with safe and legal employment conditions – emphasise representatives of the Polish HR Forum.