How to find a job in Poland on your own?

Statistics show that more Ukrainians are willing to move to Poland to work than there were in 2023. More over half of the labour migrants plan to remain in Poland. This is related to the fact that the Polish government streamlines the employment system for Ukrainian migrant workers each year. There are numerous ways to find employment in Poland while remaining in Ukraine. If you are willing to put in the time to move through all stages of employment, you can even obtain a job in Poland on your own. Yet it's crucial to be aware of all the specifics of working overseas in order to avoid falling prey to fraud or dishonest employers. This post will discuss how to successfully locate employment in Poland and travel there to make a living.

Where to look?

There are several ways to find a job in Poland: 

• through Polish outstaffing companies
• through acquaintances of migrant workers
• on Polish recruitment sites
• through classifieds in newspapers
• through Ukrainian companies, providing employment services in Poland

All these methods are available for all Ukrainians, but they differ in the duration of job search and the amount of money that will be spent for each method. 

Let's look at each method separately:

obtaining employment through outstaffing businesses

Let's first define what an outstaffing firm is. This Polish employment service conducts job searches and hires candidates for numerous Polish companies. Business owners approach them asking for their help in finding a specific number of people for their plant, factory, warehouse, or other production.

The outstaffing company is responsible for finding and hiring personnel, setting up official employment, ensuring their availability on the scheduled date, and performing their duties.

You are not required to pay an outstaffing business to assist you in finding employment in Poland. Free labour must be offered for all positions.

You might occasionally be required to pay for a work visa, a ticket, and insurance. So that you may manage the entire payment process, you must make the payment yourself.

utilising the contacts of migrant workers to look for work

It's highly conceivable that some of your friends have already worked abroad, specifically in Poland. You can consult them for suggestions on your personal job search in Poland. They will provide you with all the information you need to independently locate work in Poland. Your hunt for a job in Poland through newspapers and Polish employment sites can also be assisted by friends or acquaintances who are already living there.

using job search websites or newspaper ads to find employment

There are numerous websites where you can independently search a job in Poland. A list of the top ones is provided below.

In the classifieds sections of Polish publications, you can also hunt for employment. Yet, it is obvious that this approach is better suited to people who are fluent in Polish and have a thorough understanding of the criteria and standards set forth by a company.

Be aware that you may frequently encounter con artists or dishonest employers on such websites. When conducting this type of job search, it's crucial to use caution and diligence. Also, don't forget to research the employer's business.

You always have the option to turn to a Ukrainian company for employment in Poland if you are unable to do so on your own. This is the quickest and most trustworthy method of locating employment in Poland.

Finding a job in Poland through a Ukrainian overseas employment company

Some migrant workers believe that finding a job in Poland through Ukrainian recruitment agencies is a very expensive service and therefore prefer to look for a job on their own. This statement is erroneous. Nowadays, there are Ukrainian employment agencies abroad, whose services are absolutely free. When you apply for help to such a company, you pay for the same services that you would pay for if you were looking for a job on your own. The list of expenses includes:

• paying for your visa
• insurance
• you will have to buy tickets for the plane and so on.

Searching for job through Ukrainian agency is safer way of finding work in Poland. Firstly, the Ukrainian company will always stand up for the interests of Ukrainian migrant workers. Secondly they do not want to damage their reputation by sending workers to bad working conditions, because by doing so they lose potential customers in the form of migrant workers. And thirdly, the recruitment agency always checks the employer's company before offering jobs at his enterprise. 

Despite all the above mentioned pros and cons of all ways to find a job abroad, you have to decide how to find a job in Poland on your own.

What jobs are available?

There are more and more jobs in Poland. The labor market is overflowing with advertisements with vacancies for various positions. Every migrant worker will be able to find a job for himself or herself, based on personal skills and abilities in this or that field. 

What are the main criteria for foreigners searching for a job in Poland?

• field of work
• type of work
• age segment (20, 35, 45 years old)
• sex (work for women/men)
• qualifications
• work experience (vacancies with/without work experience)
• accommodation
• food availability
• shuttle service to work

Only after you have decided on all requirements, a foreigner can start looking for a job in Poland on their own.

The most popular jobs in Poland are factory, warehouse or construction workers. Usually such jobs do not require knowledge of language, level of qualification or experience in a similar position. 

Also, Ukrainian migrant workers are interested in seasonal work, which implies a short term of the employment contract of 3 to 6 months. Such work is chosen by students or married couples.

Despite the fact that there are more popular types of jobs, you can find a job in Poland in any field:

• Auto construction (painting/packaging of car parts, auto mechanic)
• Construction (handyman, painter, foreman)
• Electric power industry (electrician)
• Hotel and restaurant business (waiters, chambermaids)
• Food industry (sorter, packer, baker)
• Light industry (mechanic, machine operator, kitting machine operator)
• Beauty and Health (masseur, hairdresser, nail service technician)
• Medicine (nurse, nurse technician)
• Furniture industry (cabinetmaker, seamstress, upholsterer)
• Manufacturing (welder, fitter, grinder)
• Job at warehouse

Pay attention to the fact that the choice of work in this or that field also depends on your physical preparedness to perform certain tasks. That's why most jobs are divided into men's and women's jobs. And the level of wages will depend on your qualifications, work experience and knowledge of the Polish language.

Do I need to know the language?

Even if you've found a job that doesn't require Polish language skills, we recommend that you start learning at least the basics. It will make your life abroad much easier. Moreover, if you know Ukrainian, it won't take you long to learn Polish. 

There are spheres of work where knowledge of Polish is not required. The level of wages for these jobs will be slightly lower, than for others, but not cardinally different. These fields include

• working in factories, warehouses, plants
• cleaning (house cleaning)
• seasonal work (harvesting, gardening)
• construction work for laborers

These jobs can be a good starting point for travelling to Poland and learning Polish with native speakers. Later, when you are able to communicate in Polish, you will be able to apply for higher-paying jobs in areas such as:

• human resource management
• logistics
• services (waiters, receptionists)

How do I check employers in Poland?

If you are searching for a job in Poland on your own, it is easy enough to check the status of an employer. Every Polish company that legally employs foreigners is a taxpayer. Accordingly, this firm is registered in the national court registry, as well as has an individual tax number. KRS and NIP numbers can be found on the employer's official website or you can ask the employer's representative directly. 

KRS is a state court registry of legal entities in Poland, in which commercial enterprises, firms, foundations, professional and public organizations are registered. The registry provides details on the legal status of the company, which can be checked:

• company owners;
• the company's officials;
• a list of official activities;

It also contains official financial statements and information on the insolvency of legal persons, unpaid debts, liquidation or bankruptcy.  

NIP - Polish Tax Number. It consists of 10 digits and is issued to both Polish citizens and companies owned by other countries but operating on the territory of Poland. Without NIP it is not possible to pay taxes. You cannot get an official job with a company or employer that does not have a tax number.

About documents for work, about the resume

A well-written resume is half the battle. But before you get down to drafting it, it's important to follow a few rules for drafting it.

Rule 1

Write your resume in Polish or English. No one gives you a guarantee that a Polish employer will spend time translating your resume from Russian into Polish.

Rule 2

Put only the information the employer needs on your resume:

• Personal information
• Professional background
• Knowledge and skills that you can apply for the current position
• Previous work experience
• Languages spoken
• Additional useful information about you.

Rule 3

Keep your resume short and informative. Up to one A4 sheet at most.

Rule 4

Attach your photo to your resume. Statistically, resumes with photos get more feedback.

Rule 5

If you send your resume via e-mail, use your work email account. Include in the subject line

• Your first and last name
• The job you are applying for
• Your resume (CV)

For example: Ivan Ivanov, driver CV

That way your potential employer can understand the purpose of your letter even before you open it. If they approve of your application and invite you to work in Poland you should proceed to the next stage of employment - collection of documents.

The list of documents for work in Poland includes:

• Valid passport of a migrant worker
• Employer's job offer
• Work visa
• Health insurance policy 

Work visa is executed by a Ukrainian at the Embassy of Poland in Ukraine. The visa is issued on the basis of work invitation that must be prepared by Polish employer in Poland and sent to candidate in Ukraine. After obtaining the visa you can immediately go to Poland.

Conclusion

Now you know that there are several ways of finding a job in Poland on your own. The choice of any method depends on the job seeker, his location and abilities. It is certainly much easier to find a job in Poland if you are currently working there. But do not despair if you are in Ukraine and think how to find a job in Poland by yourself. There are many websites and employment agencies that can help you find a job and travel to Poland. The main thing is to be well-versed in the system of employment abroad and to be able to verify the employer's company. We wish you success in your job search!