With temporary protection
A foreigner benefiting from temporary protection has free access to the labour market (Art. 3 para. 1 point 12 of the Act on the Conditions for Permitting the Entrusting of Work to Foreigners). You do not need a work permit or an employer's declaration. Art. 116 para. 1 of the Act on Granting Protection to Foreigners says the same.
Without temporary protection, but with a legal stay
For 3 years from 5 March 2026 the same rules apply to Ukrainian citizens who are staying legally in Poland but are not benefiting from temporary protection (Art. 41 of the Act of 23 January 2026). This also applies to persons who no longer have protection but have another basis of legal stay.
With the CUKR card
With a temporary residence permit obtained through the CUKR card you are exempt from the obligation to have a work permit (Art. 42v). Details of the card: CUKR residence card.
The contract
Entrusting work requires a written contract concluded before you are allowed to work (Art. 5 para. 1). If the contract is in Polish and you do not know Polish, the employer presents its content to you in writing, in a version understandable to you, before signing (Art. 5 para. 2). The differences between an employment contract and a contract of mandate are described in the guide employment contract or contract of mandate.
What the employer does
The employer notifies the poviat labour office of entrusting you with work within 7 days of the day work starts (Art. 5a para. 1). This is their obligation, not yours. We describe it in the guide notification of work of a Ukrainian citizen.
Your own business
A beneficiary of temporary protection may run a business on the terms of the Act of 6 March 2018 on the rules of participation of foreign entrepreneurs (Art. 116 para. 2 of the Act on Granting Protection to Foreigners). With the CUKR card you operate on the same terms as Polish citizens (Art. 42w).
What after the loss of protection
The free access under Art. 3 para. 1 point 12 concerns a person who benefits from temporary protection. When protection expires, check another basis for work. See loss of UKR status and work of a foreigner. Whether your work is legal can be checked with the service work legality check.