Poland: Work Rights Removed for Certain Visa-Free-Entrants

Effective August 15, 2026, nationals of Colombia, Georgia and Venezuela will no longer be permitted to enter Poland visa free for the purpose of employment; instead, they will be required to obtain a visa in order to enter Poland for the purposes of work. Those who arrived prior to August 15 will not be affected by this rule.  

Then, on August 22, 2026, nationals of these countries will no longer be able to work in Poland on a work permit if they entered and are staying in Poland visa free. Those who started working on the basis of a work permit while staying visa free before August 22, 2026 will not be affected by this rule. Additionally, those who have work authorization on another basis other than a work permit (for instance, students and graduates) are not affected by this rule.  

Affected employers will need to reassess their talent management arrangements for the affected nationals, including arranging for certain existing and future employees to obtain necessary work authorization.  

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.