How can a Ukrainian citizen register as unemployed?

A foreigner who is subject to the provisions of 20 April 2004 on employment promotion and labor market institutions (i.e. Journal of Laws of 2022, item 690, as amended). can register in the poviat labor office as an unemployed person or a jobseeker.

The difference is that if a person is not working and does not run a business, he can register as unemployed. Obtaining the status of an unemployed person makes it possible to obtain a full catalog of forms of support specified in legal provisions. 

If a person works and wants to change jobs, he or she can register as a jobseeker. He may then use the services of the labor market in the field of: job placement and vocational counseling.

The following groups of foreigners can register as unemployed:

  • citizens of the European Union Member States;
  • citizens of the countries of the European Economic Area, not belonging to the EU;
  • citizens of countries that are not parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, who may use the freedom of movement of persons on the basis of agreements concluded by these countries with the European Community and its Member States (ie the Swiss Confederation);
  • citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland or their family members (Article 10 (1) (b, d, e and f of the Withdrawal Agreement),
  • foreigners with refugee status in Poland;
  • foreigners who have a permanent residence permit in Poland;
  • foreigners who have a long-term resident’s European Union residence permit in Poland;
  • foreigners who have a temporary residence permit in Poland granted in connection with the circumstances referred to in art. 127 or article. 186 paragraph 1 point 3 of the Act of 12 December 2013 on foreigners:

-) these are foreigners who have been granted a temporary residence permit:

-) in order to work in a profession requiring high qualifications,

  • due to having a long-term resident’s EU residence permit in another EU country due to the fact that they intend to work or conduct business in Poland, undertake or continue studies or vocational training, or show other circumstances justifying their stay in Poland.
  • foreigners who have a permit to stay in Poland for humanitarian reasons or a permit for tolerated stay;
  • foreigners enjoying temporary protection in Poland;
  • foreigners applying for international protection and spouses on behalf of whom they apply for international protection who have a certificate issued on the basis of art. 35 of the Act of June 13, 2003 on granting international protection to foreigners in Poland;
  • foreigners who have been granted subsidiary protection in Poland;
  • foreigners who have a visa in Poland issued for humanitarian reasons, due to the interest of the state or international obligations (Article 60 (1) (23) of the Act on foreigners);
  • foreigners accompanying a foreigner in Poland (a citizen of an EU Member State, an EEA country, a state that may exercise the freedom of movement of persons on the basis of agreements concluded with the European Community and its Member States) as family members;
  • foreigners who have a temporary residence permit in Poland, referred to in art. 114 paragraph. 1 or 1a or article. 126 paragraph 1 of the Act of 12 December 2013 on foreigners, provided that immediately before registration as unemployed they were employed in Poland continuously for a period of at least 6 months –
  • these are foreigners who have a temporary residence and work permit in Poland:

-) in order to perform work,

-) in order to work in a profession desirable for the Polish economy due to high professional qualifications required to perform work in this profession, or

-) to act on the management board of a legal person, provided that they do not hold any shares or stocks in it;

  • foreigners with a visa issued in order to work in Poland, provided that immediately before registration as unemployed, they were employed in Poland continuously for a period of at least 6 months;
  • foreigners – family members of Polish citizens who:

-) have obtained a temporary residence permit in Poland, or

-) after submitting an application for a temporary residence permit, permanent residence or long-term resident’s EU residence permit, they reside in Poland pursuant to art. 108 sec. 1 paragraph 2 or article. 206 paragraph 1 point 2 of the Act of 12 December 2013 on foreigners or on the basis of a stamp in the passport, which confirms the submission of the application on time and does not contain formal defects, if they had a temporary residence permit immediately before submitting the application;

  • foreigners accompanying a Polish citizen in Poland as a family member.

Persons enjoying temporary protection, as well as other eligible foreigners, may register via the Internet via the www.praca.gov.pl portal or directly at the Poviat Labor Office servicing the area where the foreigner lives.

After registering with the Poviat Labor Office, the foreigner will be able to take advantage of various forms of assistance specified in the applicable regulations. It includes, among others:

  • work training
  • co-financing of starting a business
  • employment refund (intervention works, public works, etc.)
  • reimbursement of travel and accommodation costs to and from the place of work
  • reimbursement of costs of caring for a child under 7 years of age or a dependent person, etc.

See more:

https://zielonalinia.gov.pl/zielona-linia-wersja-angielska-34769

https://www.gov.pl/web/ochrona-en