PolandResidence permit (skilled worker)

Blue Card in Poland

A residence permit programme for highly qualified specialists with higher education or professional experience who have received a job offer in Poland. The card holder may work under an employment contract and stay in the country for the period of employment plus additional time, up to the maximum validity of the permit.

Visa term

Up to 3 years (the term of employment plus 3 months), renewable

Threshold

150%

of the average annual salary in Poland (indexed by GUS)

Processing time

From several weeks to several months (depends on the voivodeship)

Work

Yes, in the highly qualified occupation with the employer

Source: gov.pl — Niebieska Karta UE, residence permit for the highly qualified

Who can apply

An application for the Blue Card may be filed by a highly qualified specialist who meets the established qualification and financial requirements.

Qualification requirements

Higher education or at least five years of professional experience at an equivalent level
The occupation must require high qualifications
A written job offer from a Polish employer

Financial and legal requirements

Annual gross remuneration of no less than one hundred and fifty per cent of the average salary in the national economy
An employment contract for at least one year
Intention to stay in Poland for longer than three months

Supporting documents

A passport valid for the whole period of stay
Proof of health insurance in Poland
All the required documents on qualifications, as originals or certified copies

When this programme will not suit you

You cannot provide a written job offer from an employer

Consider other Polish residence permit programmes (investor visa, category D visa arranged by an employer)

Your salary is below the threshold of one hundred and fifty per cent of the average salary

Check migration programmes for workers with lower qualifications, or consider programmes in other countries with lower income requirements

You have neither higher education nor five years of professional experience

Obtain the required education or accumulate the required experience; consider other types of residence permit

What it costs

State fee on filing the applicationPaid when the documents for the Blue Card are submitted	440 PLN
State fee on issue of the permitPaid when the residence permit is issued	50 PLN
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	490 PLN

Paid separately

Document translation services — May have to be paid for separately if the documents are not submitted in Polish
Notarial certification of documents — May be required depending on the requirements of the particular case and the country the document comes from
Health insurance — Compulsory, but paid separately to the insurance company or through the employer

Documents to gather

The full list of documents for a Blue Card application:

Two copies of the completed application on the prescribed form
Four colour photographs measuring forty-five by thirty-five millimetres
Copies of all completed pages of a valid passport
Employment contract (original or certified copy) for at least one year
Proof of health insurance in Poland (an insurance policy or a certificate)
Where required: information from the starosta (wójt) confirming that no worker from among EU or EEA citizens can be found

How the process runs

The examination of the application is governed by the Code of Administrative Procedure. The overall timeline depends on the individual circumstances of each case and on how complete the submitted documents are.

1
Prepare and gather the documents
Make sure all the documents meet the requirements, are in the correct language (Polish or with a certified translation) and that all copies are properly certified. Prepare two copies of the application.
2
File the application
Send the complete package of documents by post to: ul. Piotrkowska 103, 90-425 Łódź. Pay the state fee of four hundred and forty zloty when filing the application.
3
Examination of the application
From several weeks to several months
The voivodeship office checks the documents, may request additional information, and verifies that the applicant meets all the requirements of the programme and the labour-market requirements.
4
Decision
The voivodeship office issues a decision granting or refusing the residence permit. The applicant receives written notification of the outcome.
5
Collect the card
If the decision is positive, the applicant receives a notification and instructions on collecting the plastic card. Pay the state fee of fifty zloty when the permit is issued.
6
Start work in Poland
Once the residence permit has been issued you may start work with the named employer on the terms of the employment contract.

Timelines and rights

Residence

Intention to stay for longer than 3 months

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Blue Card	Karta pobytu	Humanitarian protection and tolerated stay
Visa term	Up to 3 years (the term of employment plus 3 months), renewable	Karta czasowego for 1-3 years, renewable; karta stałego is open-ended (the card is replaced every 10 years)	Valid on the legal grounds, subject to review
Grounds	High qualifications	Employment / business / marriage	Humanitarian grounds
Money	Salary not below 150% of the average annual salary in Poland (indexed by GUS)	Salary not below the minimum wage; funds for living costs and accommodation; for business — income	None
Work	Yes, in the highly qualified occupation with the employer	On a card issued on employment grounds — with the named employer; permanent residence — full access	Usually yes, depending on the status
Residence	Intention to stay for longer than 3 months	For permanent residence: absences of no more than about 6 months in a row / 10 months over 5 years	Actual presence; leaving the country may have an effect

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

Through EU long-term resident status; Blue Card periods across the EU are added together

Route to citizenship

The standard route after long-term residence

Frequently asked questions about Blue Card

For how long is a residence permit under the Blue Card issued?

The residence permit is issued for the term of the employment contract plus three months, but it cannot be issued for longer than three years.

Can I work on a residence permit under the Blue Card?

Yes, the residence permit entitles you to stay in Poland and to work on the terms of the stated employment contract with the employer that supported the application.

What minimum level of education and experience is required?

Either higher education or at least five years of professional experience at an equivalent level in an occupation requiring high qualifications.

What is the minimum salary under the contract?

The annual gross remuneration cannot be lower than one hundred and fifty per cent of the average salary in the national economy for the year preceding the conclusion of the contract. The figure is published by the Central Statistical Office of Poland (Główny Urząd Statystyczny).

Is health insurance required when filing the application?

Yes, proof of health insurance in Poland must be submitted with the documents. This may be an insurance policy or a certificate of cover for medical expenses.

Is consent from the local starosta required?

In some cases information from the starosta (wójt) may be required, confirming that no worker from among citizens of the European Union or the European Economic Area can be found for the position.

Other ways to move to Poland

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Poland.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 8 August 2026.