Type B Work Permit in Poland: Who Needs It and How to Get It

Starting a business in Poland without a Polish passport? Registering a Sp. z o.o. isn't enough on its own — to legally manage the company, some foreign board members need a separate work permit, Type B (zezwolenie na pracę typu B). It's easy to forget about precisely because it's rarely required separately on entry — for most people it's bundled into a visa or another document. That's a mistake worth avoiding: missing the deadline to obtain it can mean a hefty fine or deportation with a Schengen entry ban of up to 10 years.

Who specifically needs a Type B permit

Poland has two types of work permits: A — for employees, and B — for people who manage a business, i.e. board members (członkowie zarządu). It's a distinct legal status with its own rules: the authorities assess whether a specific applicant should be allowed to run a business in the country.

An important nuance from practice: a director and a board member aren't the same thing. The most common case: two partners set up a company, one becomes the director (by default an employee, often fine with a Type A permit), the other becomes a board member responsible for strategic management. The Type B permit is required specifically for the board member function — regardless of whether that person is also a founder.

The company must ensure all its foreign board members hold a Type B permit within 6 months of their appointment. We recommend starting the process early — at least two months before that deadline, since filing and review both take time.

The most common case in our practice: a Blue Card specialist starts their own company

A technical specialist relocates to Poland and gets a Blue Card as an in-demand professional — then, some time later, decides to start their own company. The Blue Card gives the right to work as an employee in a specific position at a specific salary level, but it doesn't grant the right to run a business. The moment that specialist becomes a board member of their own company, they need a separate Type B permit.

Who's exempt from needing the permit

The permit isn't required if the foreigner:

• holds permanent residence in Poland;
• holds an EU long-term resident card;
• holds a residence permit granted on humanitarian grounds;
• holds a tolerated stay permit;
• holds a Poland Business Harbour visa;
• is under temporary protection in Poland;
• is a citizen of an EU, EEA, or Swiss country.

Everyone else needs to obtain the permit.

How to get it: documents and process

The permit is issued by the voivode of the region where the applicant actually resides (not their registered address/zameldowanie — stating your place of residence is enough, no additional proof required). The logic of the process: register the company first, then obtain permits for its foreign board members.

Basic document package:

• application form;
• the applicant's personal documents: copies of every filled page of the passport, a certificate of no criminal record;
• documents confirming the applicant's employment status for the year before filing;
• information on the applicant's income and income tax paid for the year before filing;
• information about the company: business plan, account balances, client contracts, information on purchased equipment, a current KRS extract;
• proof of payment of the stamp fee.

Three categories of applicants are exempt from needing an additional opinion from the starosta (a document on whether unemployed Poles are available for a similar position):

• foreigners who have lived in Poland continuously and legally for the 3 years before filing (continuity meaning total absences under 10 months and no more than 6 months at a stretch);
• graduates of universities in Poland, the EEA, or Switzerland no more than 3 years before filing;
• citizens of Eastern Partnership countries (Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia).

You can file either offline at the voivodeship office or online via the praca.gov.pl portal — online filing requires scanned attachments, offline filing requires originals or notarized copies.

Cost and timeline

New stamp fee rates have applied since 1 December 2025: 200 PLN if the work is entrusted for up to 3 months, and 400 PLN if longer than 3 months (for a board member, it's almost always 400 PLN, since the permit is issued for up to 3 years, or up to 5 years if the company employs 25+ people).

In our practice, review currently takes 2 to 4 months — which is exactly why it matters not to leave filing until the last few weeks of the six-month window.

What this means in practice

The Type B permit is one of those topics where the formal deadline (6 months from appointment) sounds comfortable enough, but is easy to miss in practice: business owners are busy launching the company and often only learn about the requirement closer to the deadline. Given the real 2-4 month review time, it's best to start the process right after company registration rather than waiting until the middle of the six-month window.

Frequently asked questions

Does a company director need a Type B permit if they're not a board member? If the director is simply an employee and not part of the board, a Type A permit is usually enough — not Type B.

When does the 6-month clock start? From the moment the foreigner is appointed to the board (not from company registration, if the board is formed later).

Can I file the documents online? Yes, through the praca.gov.pl portal — in that case, documents are attached as scans and originals aren't required.