Immigration to Poland

Republic of Poland, commonly known as Poland is a county in Central Europe with sixteen provinces also known as voivodeships.  Poland is popular for former Pope John Paul II and Europe’s ancient old growth forests. It is also famous for its delicacies like Pierogi, Zurek, Bigos and Kotlet Schabowy. Poland has rich cultural history and diverse geography from Tatra Mountain to the Baltic Sea. Poland is surrounded by Germany in the west, Czechia to the south west, Slovakia to the south, Ukraine and Belarus to the east and Baltic Sea in the North. Warsaw is the capital of Poland and is the largest city with the Metropolis on the River Vistula in eastern Poland. Other major urban areas are Kraków, Łódź, Gdańsk, Sopot, Gdynia, Poznań, Szczecin, Wrocław, and Katowice. Poland is the seventh most populous country in the Europe.

Poland is a developed and high income country with advanced economy. Polish cuisines, music, and literature are influential worldwide, especially in Western Europe. It has the world’s nineteenth largest by nominal GDP and has one of the highly diverse economies in the world. Poland has attracting housing prices and has low taxes while compared to the other European Union countries, because of these reasons many are choosing this nation for permanent residence or as the first country to move among all the other European countries. Poland is considered as one of the top most places giving an excellent quality of life. Poland is the paradise of startup companies, as a result start up Poland is the name given to this nation. This is also a safe and secure place to work for women with clean and beautiful cities, delicious food, English speaking people, lowest unemployment rate, good public transport, etc,  all which makes Poland a good place to work and live.

Traveling information

Travelling to Poland is possible by sea or by land depending on the place you are travelling from. Passenger sea route, connect this nation with the Scandinavian countries like Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway. Traveling time can take one to two days depending on the situation.  There are several means of transport like public buses, trains, trams and commercial flights. Public transport is operated locally, as a result bus fares vary from city to city. You can also reach by flight in Poland, as this country has twelve international airports. The main Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW) is in the capital city which is connected to the major destinations in the world, including Tokyo, Singapore, New York, Toronto, Miami, Beijing, New Delhi, Dubai, etc.

Due to the Russia invasion in Ukraine, there have been numerous people entering from Ukraine to Poland as this is the neighboring country, so there are important delays at the border crossing you will experience. There is a state of emergency in Podlaskie and Lubelskie, therefore carry your ID and passport all the time with you and cooperate with the officers. Follow the local authorities’ instructions and monitor the local news to get the current situation. COVID-19 restrictions are still in effect in some areas, so preventive measures must be followed like use of masks and show the proof of vaccination.

Requirements after arrival in Poland by Public Health Department:

• Wear a mask while in public
• Use alcohol containing sanitizer
• Proof of vaccination required to enter private and public spaces
• Always carry valid ID and Passport while traveling

For more travel advice please visit: travel.gc.ca and thomascook.in

How to immigrate to Poland

Poland is one of the most visited countries for tourists and workers. That leads many expats to start the legal process of getting the permission to reside in this country. Here you will get the idea of how to immigrate.  Poland is a Schengen and European Union member state which automatically gives many benefits and privileges to its residents. If you are a citizen of non European Union member state and want to stay more than three months in this country due to some business activity or work, then you need to apply for the residence permit. If you stay for less than three months then only a simple visa is enough. Immigration law in Poland is very defined and well managed by the Migration Policy Department, which also takes care of all the immigration matters and provides information of residence permit.

Visa allows you to enter Poland and reside for a specific time period. Some visas also have sub types which can be included into a broader category. Processing fees may range from €35 to €60. There are seven types of visas Poland offers:
•   Transit Visa
•   Short stay visa
•   Long stay visa
•   Tourist Visa
•   Visitor visa
•   Sports visa
•   Business visa

Also you can enter with Schengen Visa and use Poland’s visa to enter the Schengen Area. The general procedure is mentioned below:

•   Submit the visa application at the Polish Embassy in your native country.
•   After approval Embassy will call you to pick up your visa.
•   Travel to Poland with your visa within three months.
•   Apply for Permanent Residency.

For more information please visit: immigration-residency.eu

People

Citizens of Poland are called as Poles or Polish people. This country has rich history of over thousand years. It has developed a character that was influenced by its geography due to the central European countries such as Austrian, German, Slovak, Czech, and the other European countries. Polish have come in contact with many civilizations very quick due to its central location; as a result, it developed economically, politically and culturally. It has strong relations with the Latin countries and Roman Catholic religion which shaped its cultural identity. This is a country of diversity, home to different kinds of people. Polish people are tolerant, traditional, and happy people. They have different sides of their personality like they are friendly and have strong values. There are many different varieties of customs, music, food, dress and art in their culture. There are many Polish who have set a benchmark to remember like Copernicus, Marie Curie, Joseph Conrad, Actress Helena Modjeska, Pola Negri, Pianist Arthur Rubinstein, painter Tamara de Lempicka, filmmaker Samuel Goldwyn and the Warner Brothers.

Job offers in Poland

Many people apply for the jobs in Poland from their native country through the jobs portal. You can find jobs here through the multinational companies with their offices in this nation. Getting a job in Poland will be easier if you know Polish or English with the help of your network of international professional contacts. It is true that there are limited jobs for the people who only speak English, but there are numerous jobs in this country for expats with special skills and for the persons who know where to look for jobs. Many companies are in continuous search of deserving candidates, so this is a good place to get job. Some of the highest paid jobs are IT Professionals, Doctors, Judges, Bank Managers, Professors, Chief Executive Officers and Chief Financial Manager. To get work you have to stay legally and have a work permit or have a temporary residence and work permit. You can also get temporary residence permit to work in the field required highly qualified candidates.

Poland Work Visa requirements:
•   A complete application form
•   Proof of payment
•   Confirmation from the employer  
•   Recent employer’s economic activity
•   Applicants passport pages with the travel information.

How to get a Job ?
•   Learn basic Polish Language
•   Create a perfect CV
•   Search online and apply for jobs on various job portals
•   Keep documents prepared
•   Get the Work Permit
•   Prepare for job interviews
•   Apply to small companies if needed
•   Learn in demand skills
•   Sign a contract offered by Company.
•   Submit your documents in order to get a job.

For more information please visit: globalization-partners.com

Unemployment rate

The unemployment rate in Poland was 5.2% in the month of the April 2022. This rate has gone to 5.1% in May 2022. It is the lowest unemployment rate since the year 2019. This happened due to the number of unemployed people reduced from 27.8 thousand to 850.2 thousand. Previous year the unemployment rate was 6.1%. Unemployment rate is the share of labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. The economic recovery of this country has risen due to the support provided to the startups and entrepreneurs by the government of Poland. Some reasons behind the unemployment are protecting employees aged over fifty-six years and the useless labor laws which make job creation opportunities difficult. Unemployment rate is also increasing because of the Russia–Ukraine War. Poland is one of the countries which have the highest jobless rates in the European Union. These days the unemployment is a growing problem in Poland due to the lack of creating opportunities which will give needy people, plenty of jobs.

For more information please visit: tradingeconomics.com

Economy of Poland  

The Polish economy is an industrialized, developed market mixed economy. It’s the sixth largest nominal GDP and the fifth largest (PPP) in the European Union. According to one report, this country has one of the high quality of life. Some main areas that support economic growth are the agricultural, mining and manufacturing industry. Largest department supporting the economy is service sector with more than 60 percent, industry sector more than 30 percent, and agriculture industry more than three percent. Poland is one of the developing countries according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) because of its slow economic performance. With Human Development Index (HDI), Poland is considered as one of the high developed economies by the United Nations’ definition. This country exports machinery and transport equipment’s, intermediate manufactured goods, miscellaneous manufactured articles, food and live animals, etc. Goods imported here are machinery and transport equipment’s, intermediate manufactured goods, chemicals, minerals, fuels, lubricants and related materials.

For more information please visit: en.wikipedia.org

Education

The education system in Poland is well-developed, with free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 18. The system includes primary, secondary and higher education, with international students and children of immigrants welcomed in many schools and universities. Popular international schools include the British School Warsaw and the American School of Warsaw. For higher education, universities like the universities of Warsaw and Jagiellonian University are highly regarded, especially for programs in medicine, engineering and IT. Homeschooling is legal in Poland and parents must register with the local education authorities. Approximately 20,000 children are homeschooled in Poland. 

Renting and buying of real estates for foreigners

Renting:

Poland is the fifth most populous member state in the European Union. It is necessary to rent an apartment for more than a year. Renting a property is good way to know the surrounding and is affordable in Poland. Deposit is must which is equal to one or two month’s rent. It is always better to have a look at the room personally before renting it. There are no restrictions on expats to rent or buy a property in Poland. Finding the accommodation according to your taste and need requires effort and planning.

The amount of rent may vary from city to city as it depends on the location. Prices in the major cities are comparatively higher than the rural areas. There are several properties you will find online, news paper ads or through the word of mouth. Finding a property through an estate agent means you have to pay them for their service. It is suggested to check the property in real before renting.

Documents:

• Proof of employment
• Passport or ID proof
• Personal references
• Deposit Amount

Buying:

Expats can easily buy property in Poland with some restriction. For instance, property should not be more than 0.5 hectares. Property prices in Poland are increasing steadily and official figures show the average prices grew after the pandemic. Owning a place, gives a sense of responsibility and happiness. While buying a property in Poland, factors to be taken care of are, property scams, high capital gains tax and fluctuations in the market.

The most expensive cities are Warsaw, Kraków and Gdansk. Prices can be negotiated with the owners or through the estate agent. The contract made up must be in the form of a national deed executed by a Notary. A date will be set for completion and the buyer will pay the deposit. The deposit is generally twenty percent of the full price of the property. Poland is a welcoming country for foreign buyers. The rules for expats are straightforward.

Process:

• Passport and recent photograph
• Property transfer tax, Notary cost
• Land registration fee, Legal fee
• Mortgage Papers

 For more information please visit: expatfocus.com

Climate

The climate in Poland is moderate but still has variations. Many sunny days have quite hot summer and rainy days are quite rainy. Winters are very cold as the temperature goes below freezing and you will also get to see snowfall in this season. So get the clothing accordingly. 

Spring: This starts from the month of March, ends in the month of May. At first it is cold in March. Snowfall is all over the land and even freezes quite often. In April and May, there are warm days and the temperature becomes pleasant.  

Summer: This season starts from the month of June, ends in the month of August which is mild or pleasantly warm. Summer in this country is the rainiest season; due to the Atlantic disturbances arrive in this season. You can also experience thunderstorm in the afternoon.

Autumn: This season starts from the month of September and ends till the month of November. The first half of September is pleasant but after it the temperature in this season decreases rapidly and the weather becomes cold and dull.

Winter: This season starts from the month of December and ends in February and is cold and gray throughout the country. It’s freezing in the month of January. The land is covered with snow very often for longer period but snowfalls are not abundant. When the currents from the Atlantic are deeper then the temperature goes up above freezing and it can rain and the snow melts.

For more information please visit: climatestotravel.com

Languages

Polish is the official language of Poland with other languages and Slovak, Czech and Sorbian. These languages belong to the West Slavic Language of the Lechitic group. Polish is spoken primarily in Poland and is the native language of poles and other Polish minorities in other countries. Other spoken languages in this country are English and Russian. English is spoken by more than forty percent people and Russian is more widely spoken here with approx 90% proficiency. This nation is multilingual, languages like Silesian and Kashubian is also spoken by the locals. Poland also has several minority languages spoken by the minor communities. Approx fifteen languages are spoken by more than three thousand people in this nation. Spanish language is used in this nation by younger generation rather than Russian. Most people are bilingual and use Russian-polish or polish-Spanish here. Some of the most spoken foreign languages used by the immigrants in Poland are Arabic, German and Bulgarian, etc. 

For more information please visit: en.wikipedia.org

Traffic

In Poland, there is an increase in the number of vehicles on Polish roads. The highways are in very good condition and well maintained by the government but it’s the rural areas you need to be aware of. Avoid driving in the dark as the roads are narrow and poor street lighting. According to a native person, driving on the roads of the major cities like Warsaw or Karaków can be difficult as in the metropolitan cities people are always in hurry, going for job or meeting and while coming back home. You can rent a car with a driver. Traffic runs on the right side of the road and the driver sits on the left side while driving. Seat belt for driver as well as passenger is mandatory. The use of mobile is prohibited whilst driving a car and you could have to pay on the spot fine. Hands free system can be used while driving on the roads on this country. Speed limits are 100 km/h on the single carriage roads, 100 km/h on the roads which have more than one lane in each direction and 120 km/h on dual carriageways, 140 km/h on (autostrada) motorways/highways. Cities have different limits like built up area 50 km/h, outside build up area 90 km/h, residential zone 20 km/h, etc. Speeding can cause fine as many streets are under CCTC surveillance. The roads are quite smooth and some are new. You can drive in Spain with valid Driving Permit.

Documents needed as a foreigner: 

• Passport or Identity proof
• Vehicle’s registration papers
• Insurance copy
• Driver’s license
• Driver’s age should be of 18 years or above

For more information visit: rac.co.uk

Currency

The złoty (zł) is the official currency of Poland also known as Polish zloty all over the world. It is subdivided into 100 grosz (gz). This is one of the most traded currencies in the Central and Eastern Europe and stands on the 22^nd number in the foreign exchange market.  It is issued by the National Bank of Poland. A złoty note comes in six denominations like 10zł, 20zł, 50zł, 100zł, 200zł, 500zł and coins in 1zł, 2zł, 5zł, 1gr, 2gr, 5gr, 10gr, 20gr, and 50gr. Rarely used note is 500zł. The word złoty is an adjective, derived from noun złoto, which means golden in Polish.

Payment Transaction

Polish accept cash, cards or online payment. Digital payment method is becoming the largest payment method in developing countries like

Poland. But cash is the easiest and oldest payment method which is used by more than 90% population in Poland. Polish use online banking Poland, which is an online banking system and is most popular in this country. Visa cards, one of the largest payment method used in the whole world. Mastercard, Maestro, American Express (AMEX) and Diner cards are also used by poles. More than 60% of the uses at least one debit card and the ATMs, which is the huge number in the whole European continent. All the cards used by people are safe and secured. As well as Checks and invoices are also some of offline payment methods to transfer money used in this country. 

List of online payment methods in Spain: 

• Cash
• Visa Cards
• Master Cards
• Bank Transfer
• PayPal
• American Express (AMEX)
• Blik
• Maestro Cards
• ApplePay

For more information visit: ppro.com

Cost of living in Poland 

According to a survey Poland is more than sixty percent cheaper country in the Eastern Europe and cost of living here is cheap than eighty percent of countries in the world. Major cities like Warsaw, Karaków, Gdansk are expensive than rural areas. Cost of living varies from city to city and also if you are staying alone or with your family. The average monthly expense for a single person is approximately 5,500 zł. And the approx monthly expense will rise if you want to move along with your family of four people will be 10,850 zł.

Food is cheap compared to the internet and housing utilities. If you are living at a place where your university or work place is nearby or live in a city with a good public transport system, then you can save more money as the cost of living will be lesser than usual. Average living cost in Poland also depends upon your lifestyle or your current situation, like whether you are working or a student.

Here are some products mentioned below, so that you will get a clear idea of the cost of living: 

For more info visit: expatistan.com

Apartment Rent

In Poland rent varies depending on the cities. In Warsaw, the capital the rent is much higher than living in other cities in this country. In Poland there is an obligatory registering residence requirement and if you are an expat and want to take a property on rent then you have to make a lease agreement with the landlord. Renting a one bedroom apartment, in the city centre will cost around as much as a two bedroom apartment outside the city center. Finding accommodation can be easy if you ask your colleagues, friends, shopkeepers or waiters in the nearby café or restaurants will be helpful. As you wander on the streets and see some sign boards of ‘To let’ will also be useful. The major cities like Karaków and Gdansk has the expensive apartments after Warsaw, the capital in Poland. One bedroom apartment in the city centre will cost you approx 2,730 zł and same apartment, outside city will cost approx 2,040 zł. A furnished studio apartment of 2 to 3 bedrooms in the city centre will cost you approx 4,050 zł and outside the city it will cost you approx 3,281 zł. Property showing websites also mentions prices below so that you can choose according to your need and comfort. While talking to the landlord or to the real estate agent, take along your Polish and English speaking friend with you so that the conversation will be clear and easy as not many Polish are fluent in foreign languages.

For more info visit: expatistan.com

Taxes

Taxes in Poland are levied on different sources by the Central and Local Government. The taxes here are managed by the Ministry of Finance. The main taxes levied on different things are income tax, social security tax, Value Added Tax (VAT) and corporate tax. The tax year in Poland follows the calendar year which begins on the New Year’s Day of the given calendar system and ends on the day before the following New Year’s Day which starts from 1^st January and ends on the 31^st of December. Personal Income Tax in Poland is levied on income earned in this country which is also subject to a progressive income tax and applies to all those who are in the workforce. Taxes have an important part in any country’s economy. Expats also need to pay the taxes as well as the local people in this country. Since the year 1993 VAT is imposed on Poland and is overseen by VAT act and Fiscal Penal Code. It is applied to the most goods in Poland with 23% basic rate. Lowest are the 5% and 8% is also applied on the foodstuffs. Some services come under 0% tax rate or are exempted from this tax, like financial and postal services.

For more information please visit: en.wikipedia.org

Health Insurance

In Poland there is universal free healthcare provided by the government with no charges for the visit to the doctor’s clinic or hospital stays and treatment. Foreigners can find both the public and private healthcare options in this country. Most local citizens take both and expats also make sure to take some sort of private insurance as the cost of healthcare without these can be heavy on their pocket. Treatment and facilities are very good in the major cities than the rural areas. There are few doctors in this country compared to the other countries in the world and those doctors are giving services mostly in the major cities.

Public healthcare system is managed by the Ministry of Health which takes care of the state financed system, National Health Fund (NFZ) and supports it. State care is mandatory for all the Polish citizens and the official residents. An amount is deducted from the salaries of all the workforces and also some amount from self employed ones is paid to the NFZ. Foreigners must get a personal identification number (PESEL) first, and then apply for public health insurance. Private healthcare in Poland is taken by many expats to avoid the long waiting hours and bureaucracy of the system.  

For more information visit: expatarrivals.com

Important addresses 

Warsaw Chopin Airport
Zwirki I Wigury, 00-001 Warszawa,
Poland
Ph: +48 22 650 42 20

John Paul II Kraków-Balice International Airport
Kapitana Mieczysława Medweckiego 1,
32-083 Balice,
Poland
Ph: +48 12 295 58 00

Katowice Airport
Wolności 90, 42-625 Oźarowice,
Poland
Ph: +48 32 392 72 00

Poznań Airport
Bukowska 285, 60-189 Poznań,
Poland
Ph: +48 61 849 23 43

Krakow Central Bus Station
31-505 Kraków,
Poland

Warszawa Bus Station
02-305 Warsaw,
Poland

Warsaw Main (Train Station)
Towarowa3, 00-811 Warszawa,
Poland

Irish Embassy
Mysia 5, 00-496 Warszawa,
Poland,
Ph: +48 22 564 22 00

Embassy of Germany
Jazdów 12/2, 00-467 Warszawa,
Poland
Ph: +48 22 584 17 00

Embassy of Spain
00-459, Myśliwiecka 4, Warszawa,
Poland
Ph: +48 22 583 40 01

Embassy of the State of Qatar
Ksiąźęca 15, 00-498 Warszawa,
Poland
Ph: +48 22 622 22 88

Embassy of Canada
Jana MAtejki 1/5, 00-481 Warszawa,
Poland
Ph: +48 22 584 31 00

Summary

Poland, a country in Central Europe, popular for its delicacies like freshly made Pierogi, Zurek, Bigos and Kotlet Schabowy. It is also famous for different personalities and old forests. Polish are famous for their friendly hospitality, vodka, and much more. It is also a home of world’s biggest castle, oldest salt mines and has the most diverse environment. This nation’s cuisines, music, and literature are influential worldwide. Poland has rich cultural history and diverse geography from Tatra Mountain to the Baltic Sea. Warsaw is the capital of Poland and is the largest city in this country, which also gives many job opportunities. Major cities are Kraków, Łódź, Gdańsk, Sopot, Gdynia, Poznań, Szczecin, Wrocław, and Katowice. Poland has attracting housing prices and has low taxes while compared to many other countries. Here you will get universal health care which is free of cost. Over all Poland is a country giving quality live with low prices and has a developed and high income country with advanced economy.