11,485 Fictitious Work Declarations in Poland: Gremi Personal on the Risks for Foreign Nationals

A large-scale scheme of fictitious employment of foreign nationals has been uncovered in Poland. According to the District Prosecutor’s Office in Łódź, 11,485 false declarations on entrusting work to foreign nationals (oświadczenia o powierzeniu wykonywania pracy) were registered through 130 companies with no real business activity. Such documents could be used to obtain work visas and created the appearance of lawful employment, behind which stood no genuine employers or vacancies.

The main danger for foreign nationals is that a person may discover the employment is fictitious only after arriving in Poland. In such a case, the worker risks not only losing the money paid to an intermediary but also facing difficulties in legalising further work and residence in the country. The legal consequences depend on the circumstances, however: the law distinguishes between those who fell victim to fraud and those who knowingly used forged documents. In a comment for NV Business, Gremi Personal experts explained how such schemes work, the possible consequences for Ukrainians and ways of verifying employers. The company’s specialists stress that the existence of a registered agency is not enough to confirm that a vacancy is genuine. Before departure, it is worth checking the agency in the KRAZ register and the employer in CEIDG or KRS, as well as obtaining information about the workplace, the terms of employment and a draft contract.

How can you recognise a fictitious vacancy, which documents should you check and what should you do if you have become a victim of fraud?

For more details, see the NV Business article featuring Gremi Personal expert