I’ve Left My Job in Poland: Will My Residence Permit Be Cancelled? How Many Days Do I Have to Notify My New Employer?

One of the situations that most concerns foreign nationals in Poland who hold a residence permit for work purposes is leaving their job or being made redundant.

We are frequently asked the following questions:

“I’ve been made redundant – is my residence card now invalid?”

“I resigned; do I have to leave Poland?”

“How many days do I have to find a new job?”

“Is it 15 days or 30 days?”

“Can I start working for my new employer straight away?”

There is a great deal of outdated or conflicting information on this subject, particularly online.

Let’s start by clarifying the most important point:

The end of your employment does not mean that your residence permit is automatically cancelled on the same day.

However, if you hold a residence permit granted for employment purposes, ignoring the loss of your job is also a serious mistake.

The Polish Aliens Act grants you certain rights, but it also imposes certain notification obligations.

And here, it is particularly important to distinguish between two timeframes:

15 working days

and

30 days.

These two timeframes do not mean the same thing.

Check Your Residence Permit Decision First

This article focuses primarily on the standard Polish:

zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy i pracę

—that is, for those holding a temporary residence and work permit.

It is not enough simply to see the plastic card itself.

The key document is the ‘decyzja’ – the residence decision – that you have been issued with.

Your decision may state, for example:

• your employer,
• your position,
• your working hours,
• your working hours,
• your salary

may be specified.

If your residence permit has been granted subject to a specific employer and working conditions, a change of job will directly affect your residence permit application.

If I leave my job, will my residence card be cancelled immediately?

No.

Your plastic residence card will not automatically become invalid on the day your employment contract ends.

Similarly, there is no automatic mechanism in the system for your card to be cancelled instantly.

However, there is a very important point to note here:

The primary purpose of your residence permit, which was granted for employment, may no longer apply.

Therefore:

“My card says 2028, so I can remain unemployed for as long as I like.”

is not the correct way to think about it.

The expiry date printed on the card does not mean you can ignore changes to the grounds on which your residence permit is based.

How Many Days Do I Have to Report Job Loss?

If you hold a standard temporary residence and work permit and the employer you have left is specified in your residence decision:

You must report the loss of employment in writing within 15 WORKING DAYS.

Please note the specific reference to ‘working days’ here.

The law does not state “15 days”:

15 working days – 15 iş günü

.

The notification must be made to the voivode who granted you the permit.

If the authorisation was granted by the Head of the Office for Foreigners, a second-instance authority, the voivode who carried out the first-instance procedure is taken into account in accordance with the relevant rules.

When does the 15-day period begin?

The period is calculated from the date of job loss.

For example, if your employment contract:

31 August 2026

, you must fulfil your notification obligation within 15 working days following this date.

Therefore, when you leave your job:

• the termination certificate,
• the employment certificate,
• and the document confirming the termination of the contract

.

This is because the date on which you lost your job may be legally significant at a later date.

Is There a Difference Between ‘I Resigned’ and ‘I Was Dismissed’?

From the perspective of the notice obligation, the key issue is that your employment relationship has ended.

In other words:

• if your employer dismissed you,
• if you resigned,
• if your fixed-term contract has expired,
• or if the parties have mutually agreed to terminate the contract,

your employment with the employer specified in your residence permit decision may have ended.

In this case, you must state only:

“I did not leave of my own accord,”

and assume that you are not obliged to give notice.

So, what is the 30-day period?

This is where people get most confused.

15 working days = notice period

30 days = the protection period granted under certain conditions

Under Article 123 of the Polish Aliens Act, for a foreign national who has reported the loss of employment in accordance with the law, certain provisions regarding the revocation of a residence permit solely on the grounds that the purpose of employment has ceased do not apply during the 30-day period following the loss of employment.

Put simply:

The law provides you with limited protection to ensure that your residence permit is not immediately revoked the moment you lose your job.

However, one of the key conditions is that you must fulfil your obligation to notify the authorities.

Is the 30-Day Period a Time Limit for Finding New Employment?

In practice, many people interpret this as:

“I have 30 days to find a new job.”

This

This phrasing may be used to simplify the matter, but legally speaking, the more accurate description is as follows:

The 30-day period is a period of protection provided against certain grounds for the revocation of a residence permit following the loss of employment.

This period should not be interpreted as:

“I don’t have to do anything for 30 days.”

Do not interpret this period in this way.

On the contrary, this period is intended for:

• finding a new employer,
• to agree on new terms of employment,
• preparing the necessary documents,
• and, if necessary, applying to have your current permit amended

.

How many times can this 30-day protection be used?

This is also very important.

Under a standard temporary residence and work permit, in the event of the loss of all employment covered by the decision, this 30-day protection:

cannot be used more than once, or without restriction, within the validity period of the same residence permit.

The law provides for this protection to be used no more than once during the permit period in specific circumstances.

Therefore:

“My 30 days start afresh every time I leave a job.”

is a dangerous way of thinking.

Is it sufficient simply to notify the authorities when I find a new job?

Generally, no.

If your current residence permit decision specifies a particular employer and working conditions, your new employer will not automatically fall within the scope of your current decision.

In this case, it is usually necessary to:

an application must be made to amend the ‘zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy i pracę’ decision

in other words, you will need to apply to have your current temporary residence and work permit amended.

New employer:

ABC Sp. z o.o.

whereas your previous decision stated:

XYZ Sp. z o.o.

is stated, simply holding a valid card does not mean you have the right to work for the new company under the same conditions.

How Many Days Do I Have to Notify My New Employer?

An important clarification is required regarding the question in the heading.

Under the standard work permit, the basic legal obligation within 15 working days is to notify the authorities that you have lost your previous job.

As for the new employer, depending on the terms of your current contract, an application for a change of work permit may be required.

Therefore, the situation is:

“I will notify my new employer within 15 days and continue working.”

is not always correct.

Notifying the authorities that your previous employment has ended and legally formalising the residence/work conditions for your new employer are two separate procedures.

If I Submit an Application for Change Within 15 Working Days, Do I Also Need to Notify the Authorities of Job Loss?

There is an important simplification here.

According to the official MOS statement, submitting the appropriate application to the competent voivode within 15 working days of losing your job to amend your current temporary residence and work permit is also important in terms of fulfilling the relevant notification obligation.

In other words, if you have found a new employer quickly, the process can be carried out more smoothly.

However, the application must be submitted to the correct authority, following the correct procedure and accompanied by the necessary documents.

Can I Start Working Immediately Once I Have Found a New Employer?

The answer to this question is:

Not always.

It is important to distinguish between the right of residence and the right to work.

The fact that your stay in Poland is lawful:

does not automatically mean you have the right to work for any employer.

You must also have the right to work in order to be able to work for your new employer.

This

• your current residence permit,
• a work permit,
• a statutory exemption from the requirement for a work permit,
• or another legal basis

.

Therefore:

“My card is valid, so I can work for whichever company I choose.”

This approach could cause serious problems.

The official MOS also explicitly states that working in breach of the conditions set out in the residence permit decision may be unlawful and, in some cases, may result in a decision to return the holder or lead to administrative or criminal consequences.

Let’s Explain Using an Example

Let’s assume that Mehmet has a temporary residence card valid until 2028.

In his decision:

Employer: ABC Sp. z o.o.

is stated.

Mehmet’s employment contract ends on 31 August 2026.

Mehmet must:

1. He must first report the loss of employment.

He must do this within the timeframe specified by law, i.e. within 15 working days.

2. He must start looking for a new job.

He must not let the 30-day protection period go to waste.

3. If he finds a new job at XYZ Sp. z o.o., he must check whether his residence permit needs to be amended.

If the decision is linked to their former employer, a change procedure is usually required.

4. The right to work must also be checked before starting work at the new company.

It is not sufficient for the plastic residence card to still be valid.

“My card is valid for another two years, so why do I need to renew it?”

Because the plastic card alone does not reflect your full legal status.

Your employer’s name may not be printed on or on the back of your residence card.

However, in your residence permit decision:

• employer,
• job title,
• salary,
• period of employment,
• other conditions

may be available.

For this reason, it is a major mistake to rely solely on the card when changing employers.

Always check the terms of your contract as well.

Is a change to your leave entitlement always required when you change employers?

No.

In some cases, it may not be necessary to amend your current residence and work permit.

For example, certain situations are specifically listed in the official MOS guidelines:

• a change in the company’s registered office address,
• a change in the company’s name,
• a change in the employer’s legal form,
• the transfer of the workplace or a part thereof to another employer,
• the replacement of a civil law contract with an employment contract,
• a proportional increase in salary following an extension of working hours,
• a change in the job title whilst the nature of the duties remains unchanged

may give rise to different rules.

Therefore, for every change, you do not automatically have to:

“I need to apply for a new card,”

It is therefore not necessary to automatically interpret every change as:

Will a New Card Be Issued, or Will Only the Decision Change?

In the event of a change of employer, it may not always be necessary to submit a completely new residence permit application from scratch.

Under Polish law, the following exists:

zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy i pracę

there is a separate procedure for amending the permit.

Therefore, following an examination of the individual’s current permit, the new employer and the working conditions:

• a permit amendment,
• a new residence application,
• or simply a notification

it must be determined which of these options is required.

What happens if I do not report the loss of employment?

It is not advisable to ignore this obligation.

This is because it is important to have made the notification in order to be eligible for the 30-day protection period.

Furthermore, the wojewoda may subsequently discover that the reason for your employment has ceased to exist.

For example:

• ZUS records,
• notifications submitted by the employer,
• a new application,
• other official procedures

may reveal that your employment relationship has ended.

Therefore:

“Nobody will notice.”

Do not act on this assumption.

Can a Residence Permit Be Revoked?

Yes, it is legally possible to revoke a temporary residence permit where the conditions for it no longer apply.

However, let us emphasise once again:

Your card will not be automatically cancelled the moment your employment ends.

This involves an administrative process.

Furthermore, the law provides for certain protective provisions following the loss of employment.

Therefore, rather than panicking after losing your job, you should make the most of the time available.

What Happens If 30 Days Have Passed Since You Left Your Job?

In this case:

“My card is still valid; there’s no problem.”

is not the correct thing to say.

Your application must be assessed as a matter of urgency.

In particular:

• whether the loss of employment has been reported,
• whether a new job has been found,
• whether the right to work for the new job exists,
• whether an application for a change of residence permit has been made,
• the conditions under which the current residence permit remains valid

must be checked.

The fact that 30 days have passed does not, in itself, mean that the plastic card has physically become invalid at that very moment; however, it may pose a serious risk in terms of the residence permit being revoked.

What if my residence permit application has not yet been finalised and I have left my job?

This is a different situation.

If a decision on your residence permit has not yet been made and you have left your employer whilst your application, made on the grounds of employment, is still pending, there may have been a significant change in the basis of your current application.

In this case:

“As my card hasn’t been issued yet, I don’t need to do anything.”

is not correct.

Depending on your new employer, your new working conditions and the current stage of your application, you may need to submit the relevant documents to the Foreigners’ Office.

This scenario should be assessed differently from that of a person who already holds a work residence card but subsequently loses their job.

I Have a Student Residence Card and Have Left My Job. Do the Same Rules Apply?

No.

If the purpose of your residence permit is:

education / studies

and your right to work derives from your student status, leaving a job does not have the same consequences as it would under a residence permit granted for the purpose of work.

This is because the primary purpose of your residence permit is not that particular employer.

Similarly:

• family reunification,
• a Polish citizen spouse,
• permanent residence,
• long-term EU residence

the impact of a change of employment may vary depending on other statuses such as these.

Therefore, the advice you may have seen online:

“You must report leaving your job within 15 days.”

do not apply this rule to all residence cards.

First, determine the legal basis on which your card was issued.

Different Rules Apply to EU Blue Card Holders

There are separate rules for holders of the EU Blue Card.

According to current MOS information, a Blue Card holder is obliged to report the loss of employment or relevant changes in writing within 15 working days.

However, different protection periods apply in the event of unemployment.

Under current rules, a Blue Card holder:

• are entitled to up to three months’ benefits if less than two years have passed since the permit was granted,
• up to 6 months if they lose their job after 2 years

may remain unemployed; provided that other conditions are also met.

Therefore, do not confuse the standard work permit rules with the Blue Card rules.

The 7 Most Common Mistakes

The most common mistakes we encounter when changing jobs are as follows:

1. Thinking, “My card is valid, so there won’t be a problem.”
2. Failing to report job loss within 15 working days.
3. Assuming that the 15-working-day period and the 30-day protection period are the same.
4. Thinking that the right to work is automatically granted once a new employer is found.
5. Looking at the residence card without ever reading the residence decision.
6. Submitting the new employer’s documents to the Immigration Office months later.
7. Confusing the rules for student, work residence permits and the Blue Card.

What Should You Do If You’ve Left Your Job?

First of all, don’t panic.

But don’t just sit around either.

First, check your residence permit decision.

If your employer is named in the decision, notify them in writing of your job loss within 15 working days.

Then, if you have a new employer:

• the new employer’s terms and conditions of employment,
• your right to work,
• whether a change of leave is required,
• the necessary applications and supporting documents

.

And act as quickly as possible.

Because the protection afforded by the law following job loss is not unlimited.

Our Advice at Kalayci Consulting

If you hold a residence card in Poland for work purposes, have your residence status checked, if possible, before leaving your job.

Even if your employment has already ended:

“I’ll wait a bit; I’ll sort it out when I find a new job.”

Do not say this.

The first 15 working days are particularly critical.

In short:

Leaving your job ≠ your card is not automatically cancelled on the same day.

Job loss = may give rise to a notification obligation within 15 working days.

30 days = a limited protection period provided under certain conditions during a standard employment period.

New employer = a change of authorisation may be required if your current authorisation is employer-specific.

A valid work permit does not automatically entitle you to work for every new employer.

A few steps taken at the right time can prevent a much bigger problem with your work permit later on.

Kalayci Consulting – This article is intended for general information purposes only. The type of residence permit, the content of the decision, any exemption from the work permit requirement, and the individual’s personal circumstances may affect the outcome. Each case must be assessed on its own merits.