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Employment and finances

Working without agencies, gross and net pay, contract types and running your own business.

Salary calculator: how much you take home from gross →

Good to know

Work without agencies

Applying directly to employers

Right to work
UKR status allows employment without a separate permit. The employer — not you — notifies the local labour office.
Where to look
The Jobs section here collects listings from companies with city, industry and salary. Warehouses, manufacturing and services often hire without experience.
Agency red flags
A fee for getting hired, a vague company name and “paperwork later” are reasons to pause. A legal employer provides a contract before you start.
praca.gov.pl — public employment service

Minimum wage

Gross, net and hourly rate

Gross and net
Contracts state the gross amount. What reaches your account is net, after social and health contributions and tax advance — so agree the figure in net terms.
The rates
The minimum wage and minimum hourly rate are set by the government and revised annually — current figures are behind the link.
What changes net pay
The contract type, your age (a tax relief applies under 26) and whether you filed PIT-2 with your employer.
gov.pl — minimum wage

Employment vs mandate contract

How the rights differ

Umowa o pracę
A Labour Code contract: paid leave, sick pay, working-time limits and a notice period. The most protective option.
Umowa zlecenie
A civil-law contract: no leave or sick pay by default and easier termination. Contributions are paid, but fewer rights apply.
What to check
Parties, type of work, rate, time and place. Sign before your first working day — a verbal deal proves nothing.
If the work has the features of employment, replacing it with a mandate contract is unlawful — the Labour Inspectorate handles such cases.
pip.gov.pl — labour inspectorate Full guide

Sole trader (JDG)

Running a business in Poland

Who can register
Ukrainian citizens with UKR status or a suitable residence card register a business on the same terms as Polish nationals.
How to register
File with CEIDG — online with a trusted profile or at the municipal office. Registration is free of charge.
What to plan for
Monthly social contributions and tax. Newcomers can use the start relief and reduced contributions — conditions are on biznes.gov.pl.
biznes.gov.pl — registering a business

About this section

Employment and finance: employment, mandate and task contracts, gross versus net pay, finding work without agencies and registering a sole proprietorship (JDG).

Frequently asked questions

Employment contract versus mandate contract

A Labour Code contract: paid leave, sick pay, working-time limits and a notice period. The most protective option.

What gross and net mean

Contracts state the gross amount. What reaches your account is net, after social and health contributions and tax advance — so agree the figure in net terms.

Can you register a business with UKR status

Ukrainian citizens with UKR status or a suitable residence card register a business on the same terms as Polish nationals.

Step-by-step guides

Umowa o pracę, zlecenie or o dzieło: which work contract to choose in Poland

How umowa o pracę, umowa zlecenie and umowa o dzieło differ, what each gives the worker, how to work legally with a PESEL UKR and how to check a recruitment agency.

Read the guide

PIT-37 for Ukrainians: how to file online and get a tax refund

Who files PIT-37 in Poland, where to get your PIT-11, how to log in to e-Urząd Skarbowy, which reliefs to add yourself and how to get the refund paid to your account.

Read the guide

800+ for Ukrainians in Poland: rules since 2025 and how to apply

The 800+ child benefit for Ukrainian citizens: new conditions since June 2025 (parents working and the child studying in Poland), and how and when to apply through ZUS.

Read the guide
All guides (10)