On 29 January 2022, some amendments in the Act on Foreigners and other acts entered into force. The changes focus on the legalisation of stay of non-EU foreigners in Poland, focusing mainly on temporary residence permits for the purpose of work.
Below we summarise the main changes which can affect the legalisation of stay of non-EU researchers in Poland. Please note that there are 3 main types of temporary residence permits that researchers in Poland can apply for: (1) residence permit for the purpose of conducting scientific research, (2) for the purpose of highly skilled employment - the EU Blue Card and (3) for the purpose of work).
- new deadlines for temporary residence permit procedures:60 days - counted from the day of submitting all the required documents, including finger prints!
- 6-month deadline for the permanent and long-term EU residence permits,
- 90 days in case of appeals,
- the new deadlines apply also to pending cases initiated before January 29th;
In case of temporary residence permit for the purpose of work:
- it is no longer obligatory to present a proof of having a place of residence in Poland (such as rental agreement),
- the requirement of having a source of stable and regular income sufficient to cover the costs of living (776 zl monthly for a single person or 600 zl for each family member) has been replaced with a requirement of earning not less than the minimum national salary(as of 2022 - 3010 zl monthly)- no matter what type of contract or working hours you have (full time, part time); remunerations from multiple employers can be added up,
In case of highly skilled employment - the so called EU Blue Card:
- the remuneration cannot be lower than 150% of the average national remuneration in the year prior to submitting the application for the permit (not in the year prior to signing the employment contract); for the year 2021 the monthly remuneration should be minimum 8493,73 zl.
Please always check exact lists of required documents and application forms at the relevant Voivodeship Office website relevant for the place of your residence in Poland.