Poland

Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland can work in Poland without any permit, just like Polish students.

• Contract of mandate (umowa zlecenia): if you are a student under 26, no social security or health insurance contributions (ZUS) are paid on it. On an employment contract they are always paid, whatever your age.
• Tax relief for young people (ulga dla młodych): if you are under 26, your income from employment, contracts of mandate, apprenticeships and professional internships is free of income tax up to PLN 85,528 a year. You do not need to apply. The relief does not cover social security and health contributions.
• Graduate traineeships (praktyki absolwenckie): for graduates under 30. They last at most 3 months and may be paid or unpaid; the pay may not exceed twice the minimum wage. A paid traineeship can be ended with 7 days’ notice, an unpaid one immediately.

Students from outside the EU who study full-time at a Polish university (a public university or one approved by the minister of the interior) can work without a work permit, and so can graduates of full-time studies in Poland. Part-time and distance-learning students are not covered by this exemption. Internships that are part of the study programme do not need a permit either.

Thinking of studying there first? See Studying in Poland – practical information.