Work for Money: Why You Should Never Pay for a “Vacancy”, “Registration” or “Guarantee” of Employment in Poland

Looking for work in Poland sometimes begins with an unusual proposal: first, pay for the “reservation” of a vacancy, for “registration” or for a guarantee of employment. Employment agencies explain this by pointing to administrative costs, the need to prepare documents or the large number of applicants for a single position. Sometimes the sums are small, so people agree to pay so as not to lose the chance of getting the job. However, demanding payment for employment itself is contrary to Polish law.

The risks are even more serious when, under the guise of intermediary services or document processing, a person is sold a promise of work behind which there is no real employer and no real job. In such a case, they risk not only losing their money but also running into problems with the legality of their employment and stay in Poland.

What an Agency Is Not Allowed to Charge For

The rules governing the operation of employment agencies in Poland are set out in the Act on the Labour Market and Employment Services, which came into force on 1 June 2025.

Under Article 321 of this Act, an agency may not charge the people for whom it is seeking work any fees, other than certain costs expressly provided for by law. This means that a company has no right to demand money for finding a vacancy, registering a candidate, preparing for an interview, completing employment formalities or reserving a job. There is, however, a narrow exception, concerning placement in work outside Poland (for example, in Germany). Under Article 338, in such a case an agency may require the candidate to reimburse only costs actually incurred: travel to and from the place of work, visa processing, medical examinations and document translation. All of these amounts must be genuine and set out in a written contract.

If you are looking for work within Poland itself, this exception does not apply. An agency cannot pass recruitment or administrative costs on to you. Violations of these rules carry fines of between PLN 3,000 and PLN 30,000. A demand to pay for a vacancy or to “book” a place is therefore not normal market practice. It is a sign of a possible violation of the law.

Paid “Document Services”

Another common scheme involves an intermediary offering to be paid for helping to obtain a work permit (zezwolenie na pracę) or another document that supposedly entitles the holder to work in Poland. Under Article 84 of the Act on the Conditions for Permitting the Entrustment of Work to Foreign Nationals, a person who demands a financial benefit from a foreign national in exchange for actions aimed at obtaining such a document may be fined between PLN 6,000 and PLN 50,000.

This should not be confused with official administrative fees. If they are provided for by law and paid to the proper recipient, that is perfectly normal. An intermediary, however, cannot sell the right to obtain a document itself. It is also worth remembering that a document alone does not mean lawful work. It must correspond to a real employer, position and conditions of employment. Buying “declarations”, “permits” or other certificates from intermediaries with no real job behind them is dangerous. Such a situation may have serious legal consequences, including criminal ones, if it is proved that the person knew about the fraud and knowingly acquired a fictitious document.

What This Means for the Worker

If a person was looking for genuine work and fell victim to fraudsters, criminal punishment is not usually a risk, but they lose their money and do not get the job.

Depending on the circumstances, administrative consequences are also possible: a foreign national who performs work illegally faces a fine of at least PLN 1,000.

False documents may also complicate the legalisation of stay. In particular, a foreign national may be refused entry or made subject to a return decision, which may even include a ban on re-entering Poland and other Schengen Area countries.

What to Check Before You Agree to an Offer

First of all, establish who exactly is offering the job: a direct employer, an employment agency or an intermediary who merely promises to help with documents.

If it is an agency, check its entry in the National Register of Employment Agencies (KRAZ). It is important to verify not only the name but also the registration details, the address and the status of the entry. The presence of a company in the register does not in itself guarantee the integrity of every offer it makes, but the absence of the required entry is a serious reason to decline the services of such an intermediary. Under Article 305 of the Act on the Labour Market and Employment Services, job placement and temporary employment activities are regulated activities and require entry in the relevant register.

Before signing a contract, clarify all the details: the type of contract under which you will work, who the employer is, where and what work you will be doing, how long the employment will last, what the pay will be and what the insurance arrangements are.

If an intermediary asks for money, demand a written explanation of exactly what service it is for, on what legal basis and to whom the payment is due. Do not agree to transfers to personal cards, to cash payments without confirmation or to payments “to speed up the paperwork”. Do not give intermediaries access to your Profil Zaufany, bank accounts, email or other personal accounts.

If money has already been paid, keep the correspondence, advertisements, payment confirmations, contracts and documents provided by the intermediary. A complaint can be lodged with the National Labour Inspectorate (PIP) and, where there are signs of fraud or the sale of fictitious documents, with the police or the Border Guard (Straż Graniczna). This will not help, however, if the intermediary operates in Ukraine and is registered as a Ukrainian sole proprietor (FOP). In that case, you need to contact the relevant authorities in Ukraine.

The main rule for a jobseeker: in Poland, you do not have to pay for the vacancy itself, for access to an employer or for the reservation of a job. If an intermediary makes employment conditional on such a payment, stop the process and verify the offer before handing over any money or personal documents.

For information on current Gremi Personal vacancies and employment conditions, call: +380 50 334 93 51, +48 525 275 003.