Obtain a Working Holiday Visa for Poland
Amongst the numerous types of visas Poland has made available for foreigners, one can also apply for the working holiday visa. The working holiday visa in Poland is an immigration document that can be used only by the nationals of countries with which the Polish authorities have signed an agreement concerning this type of visa and it is addressed to young persons who are interested in working and traveling in this country; you can find out more details on how to apply for this visa from our immigration lawyer in Poland.
What are the eligibility requirements for a working holiday visa in Poland?
Those who want to apply for a working holiday visa in Poland must know that this type of visa is addressed only to the citizens of countries such as Australia, Canada or New Zealand and Japan. If the nationality requirements are met, then the person is entitled to the right of moving to Poland for employment purposes and this right can be granted for up to one year. Other basic eligibility requirements are mentioned below:
• the applicant of a working holiday visa in Poland must have an age between 18 years old to 35 years old;
• the person must have a valid passport and a return ticket (or a proof of having sufficient financial funds for purchasing a return ticket);
• the applicant must also have a travel medical insurance with a value of minimum EUR 30,000, as per the Schengen laws and Poland migration rules;
• the person should also be able to demonstrate that he or she has sufficient financial means for living here;
• when one applies for a working holiday visa in Poland, he or she must also complete a visa application form and pay the visa application fee.
What are the rights granted by a working holiday visa in Poland?
A working holiday visa in Poland grants numerous rights to its holder. Besides the right of moving to Poland for up to one year, the holder of the visa will also be able to be hired in Poland for the duration of the visa without the need of applying for a work permit.
The holder of the visa can participate in programs created for professional development and thus, it can be used by a wide category of young professionals such as students or post-secondary graduates. The working holiday visa in Poland can also be requested by those who want to participate in training and internships in Poland or it can be used as a work and travel program, in which the participant can both work and travel in this country without completing any additional legal steps.
It must be noted that the visa grants the right of visiting all the Schengen states, as Poland is a member state of the Schengen zone. You can find out more information on the rights you have when traveling in the Schengen zone on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.
What is the primary source of law for foreigners in Poland?
Persons moving to Poland who are planning to relocate here for a short-term basis or on a permanent basis benefit from the provisions of the Act on Foreigners, which represents the primary source of law. The Act regulates the rights and obligations of all categories of foreigners who relocated to Poland; our immigration lawyer in Poland can offer in-depth details on the applicable law, but you can find out below some of the highlights of this legislation:
• the Act on Foreigners was amended on April 27, 2019 on matters referring to foreigners arriving here for scientific research, studies or internships;
• the amendment implements into the Poland migration law the Directive (EU) 2016/801(2);
• the Act stipulates that student mobility is defined as the mobility of a student in the EU space for a period of maximum 360 days and it refers to students or doctoral candidates;
• under the Poland immigration law, short-term mobility refers to a period of maximum 180 days spent in Poland in any period of maximum 360 days;
• long-term mobility refers to a period of more than 180 days spent in this country.
Persons applying for a working holiday visa in Poland should consider that they must have a prior engagement under the form of a contract or an agreement with a Polish employer or Polish education institution in order to participate in this visa program. This is necessary in the case in which the applicant wants to enter an internship program in this country.
However, a person can also participate in this program without a prior offer if the applicant wants to apply for a work and travel program. We invite you to contact our immigration lawyer in Poland for more details on how to obtain a visa in this program. Our lawyer can present the documents required when applying for a working holiday visa in Poland.
