Starting 1 December, Georgian citizens will no longer be able to obtain work visas for Poland through the simplified procedure.
On 1 December, an order by Poland’s Minister of Family, Labour, and Social Policy dated 21 November 2025 comes into force. The order lists the countries whose citizens qualify for declarations on employment of a foreigner and certain regulations related to seasonal work permits.
Based on this order, only citizens of the following countries will retain the right to obtain a work visa through the simplified procedure:
- Armenia
- Belarus
- Moldova
- Ukraine
The new regulations no longer apply to Georgian citizens.
Georgian citizens who already have a job based on a declaration of the employer’s intent to hire a foreigner and whose declaration was filed in the registry before 1 December 2025 may continue working under the conditions listed in that declaration until it expires.
Poland has been one of the most popular and accessible destinations for Georgian migrant workers because Polish law has made it relatively easy for non-EU citizens to find employment, especially in sectors facing a labor shortage.
Until now, the process worked as follows: a Georgian citizen first found a Polish employer willing to hire them. The employer then applied for a work permit (Zezwolenie na pracę) or submitted a “Declaration of intent to entrust work to a foreigner” (Oświadczenie o zamiarze powierzenia wykonywania pracy) to local authorities. The declaration is used for short-term employment (up to six months within a 12-month period), while the Type A work permit is used for long-term employment. Based on the issued declaration or work permit, the individual would then apply for a national Type D visa at the Polish consulate.
The so-called “declaration” allowed a person to work in Poland for up to six months in any 12-month period.
Visa-free travel to the Schengen Area does not grant Georgian citizens the right to work in Poland. Legal employment requires either a national Type D visa or a residence permit.