Your lawyer prepared a power of attorney. The management board signed it. The document went into a binder. The HR department logs in to praca.gov.pl to submit a work permit application for a new developer from India — and cannot see the company. There is nowhere to click. There is nothing to submit. The candidate is waiting. The project is at a standstill.
This scenario repeats itself every month at dozens of technology companies in Poland. The reason is simple: a power of attorney and access to the company’s account on the portal are two separate layers — one legal and the other technical. A signed document is not automatically transferred to the employment office’s system.
Since 1 June 2025, applications for a foreigner’s work permit and declarations on entrusting work may only be submitted through the praca.gov.pl portal. An application submitted by post, in person at an office or through ePUAP will be left unexamined — pursuant to Article 8 of the Act of 20 March 2025 on the Conditions for Entrusting Work to Foreigners (Journal of Laws 2025, item 621). The lack of properly configured access to the portal is not an administrative inconvenience — it prevents employment.
In this article, you will find the complete process for configuring HR access to praca.gov.pl, a list of common errors and a ready-to-use checklist that you can implement the same day.
Terms you need to know before you begin
Before we move on to the individual steps, it is worth distinguishing between several concepts that are often confused in day-to-day HR work.
| Term | What it means | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Power of attorney | A civil-law document authorising a person to act on behalf of the company | The legal relationship between the company and its attorney-in-fact |
| Individual account on praca.gov.pl | An account belonging to an individual, created using a trusted profile or qualified electronic signature | The praca.gov.pl portal |
| Organisation account (company context) | An entity’s account (identified by its REGON number) to which representatives are assigned | The praca.gov.pl portal |
| Representative verification | A procedure through which the employment office confirms that a person is entitled to act on behalf of the company on the portal | District employment office + portal |
| Assignment request | A mechanism within the portal — a new user requests to be added to the organisation’s account, and a verified representative approves the request | The praca.gov.pl portal |
| The “Context” field | A selector on the portal that determines whether you submit an application as an individual or on behalf of the company | The praca.gov.pl portal |
Remember: a power of attorney without account verification = a document sitting in a binder. Account verification without a power of attorney = technical access without legal authority. You need both layers at the same time.
Why a power of attorney is not enough to submit an application to employ a foreigner
A power of attorney is an instrument of civil law. It authorises a person to act on behalf of the company before public authorities, counterparties and courts. But the praca.gov.pl portal is an ICT system with its own permissions framework.
For your HR employee to submit a work permit application on behalf of the company, three conditions must be met simultaneously:
- Power of attorney — a document signed by persons authorised to represent the company, covering the activities performed on the portal (submitting applications, receiving decisions and corresponding with the office).
- Verified organisation account — the company must have an account on the portal, and at least one representative must be verified by the district employment office (PGP-WKOKR application).
- Assignment of the HR employee to the company’s account — the employee creates their own individual account, submits an “Assignment request” to the company (using its NIP and REGON numbers), and a verified representative approves the request on the portal.
If any one of these elements is missing, the application cannot be submitted.
The most common mistake? Taking a sequential approach. First, the lawyer prepares the power of attorney. Then someone remembers the portal. Then it turns out that a letter must be submitted to the employment office. Then the office needs time to process it. Handling these steps sequentially can unnecessarily delay the launch of the process by several weeks.
The solution: run both workstreams in parallel.
Step by step — how to configure HR access to praca.gov.pl
Below you will find the complete process. Each step is described from the perspective of the person responsible for it and what they need.
Step 1: appoint at least two company representatives
A representative may be a management board member or a commercial proxy authorised to act independently — a person entered in the National Court Register who may represent the company independently. A commercial proxy is disclosed in the National Court Register, which makes it significantly easier to demonstrate their authority to the office.
Why two? Because one is a single point of failure. If the only verified representative goes on holiday or leaves the company, no one can approve a new HR employee’s “Assignment request”. The entire process of employing foreigners comes to a halt.
Step 2: each representative creates an individual account on the portal
Each person must have their own account on praca.gov.pl. To create an account, they need:
- A trusted profile (requires a PESEL number) — or
- A qualified electronic signature (does not require a PESEL number — important if a management board member is a foreigner).
Note for companies with foreign management board members: a trusted profile requires a PESEL number. A foreigner without a PESEL number may use a qualified electronic signature. A PESEL number can be obtained, among other ways, by registering a residence for a stay exceeding 30 days or by submitting an application to a municipal authority — but this is a long-term solution. For a quick solution, use a qualified electronic signature or appoint another representative (e.g. a commercial proxy with a PESEL number).
Step 3: submit an application to verify the organisation’s account (PGP-WKOKR)
This is the only step that depends on the employment office’s response time. The representative submits a letter to the competent district employment office requesting verification of the company’s account on the portal.
What the application must contain:
- Company details (name, NIP, REGON, registered office address)
- Representative’s details (first name, surname, position, basis of authority)
- An extract from the National Court Register confirming the rules of representation
How long does processing take? No statistical data has been published. Offices state that applications are processed “on an ongoing basis”. The legal framework under the Code of Administrative Procedure sets maximum time limits: 1 month for ordinary cases and 2 months for complex cases. Account verification is a straightforward matter (checking the details against the National Court Register), so in practice it should take less time — but prudent planning requires submitting the application several weeks in advance.
You can track the application’s status on the portal: the “Cases – case status” tab after selecting the organisation context.
Step 4: prepare powers of attorney for the HR team in parallel
Do not wait for the account verification process to be completed. Prepare and sign powers of attorney for all persons who will handle applications concerning the employment of foreigners on the portal.
The scope of the power of attorney should include:
- Submitting work permit applications (all types)
- Submitting declarations on entrusting work
- Receiving decisions and correspondence from the employment office
- Submitting explanations and appeals
If your company employs people in different locations, prepare a broad, nationwide power of attorney covering representation before all district employment offices.
Step 5: HR employees create individual accounts and submit an “Assignment request”
Each HR employee must:
- Create their own individual account on praca.gov.pl (using a trusted profile or qualified electronic signature).
- After logging in, submit an “Assignment request” to the company’s account, providing the company’s NIP and REGON numbers.
- The system automatically sends a notification to the verified representatives.
- A representative approves the request on the portal — without the involvement of the employment office.
From that point on, the HR employee can see the company in the “Context” field and submit applications on its behalf.
Step 6: ensure that applications are submitted in the correct context
The “Context” field on the portal is a frequent source of mistakes. The HR employee must switch to the company context before submitting an application. If they submit an application in their personal context, the document formally exists but is not linked to the company’s cases. They then look for it in the company’s account and cannot find it. Meanwhile, the office has received an application from an individual.
Prepare a brief internal guide highlighting this step.
Company account on praca.gov.pl — one account for the entire country
An organisation account on praca.gov.pl is centralised. One REGON number corresponds to one account across the entire system — the system does not allow multiple accounts to be created for the same entity.
Verification of the account by one district employment office grants permissions within the central system. A representative’s assignment applies across the portal, not just locally. For companies with branches in multiple cities, this means that:
- The organisation account only needs to be verified once (by the district employment office competent for its registered office).
- Representatives from different branches can be assigned to the same account through the “Assignment request” mechanism.
- You submit work permit applications to the district employment office competent for the place where the work will be performed — but access to the portal itself is nationwide.
Note: there is no explicit provision confirming the portal-wide scope of verification. Some offices may expect additional documents. However, the system’s architecture (a central REGON number and a single assignment mechanism) indicates a nationwide model.
What you must not overlook — common mistakes that prevent the employment of foreigners
| Mistake | Consequence | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Power of attorney without account verification | HR cannot see the company on the portal and cannot submit an application | Run both workstreams in parallel — power of attorney + PGP-WKOKR letter on the same day |
| Only one verified representative | Holiday or departure = inability to assign new users | Appoint at least two representatives |
| Application submitted in the personal context | The document is not linked to the company and must be submitted again | Prepare an internal guide highlighting the “Context” field |
| Incomplete PGP-WKOKR letter | The office requests additional information, delaying the process | Check the company’s details (NIP, REGON, National Court Register) before sending it |
| Application submitted by post or through ePUAP | Left unexamined — since 1 June 2025, praca.gov.pl has been the only permitted channel | Use the praca.gov.pl portal exclusively |
| Failure to revoke access after an HR employee leaves | The former employee retains the technical ability to submit applications on behalf of the company | Add access revocation to the offboarding checklist |
Which channels of communication with the employment office are available after 1 June 2025?
The Act introduced an absolute requirement to use electronic submission. Applications submitted through any other channel are left unexamined — no decision on the merits is issued and no proceedings are initiated.
| Channel | Status for work permits |
|---|---|
| praca.gov.pl | The only permitted channel |
| ePUAP | Not permitted — application left unexamined |
| Traditional post | Not permitted — application left unexamined |
| Submission in person at the office | Not permitted — application left unexamined |
| mObywatel | Not covered by the regulations — it is not an application submission channel |
Note: the descriptions of type A, B, C and E permits on the biznes.gov.pl portal still mention the possibility of submitting applications by post. This information is outdated and predates 1 June 2025.
Legal basis: Article 72(7) of the Act on the Conditions for Entrusting Work to Foreigners — all applications, explanations, appeals and documents must be submitted through an individual account in the ICT system.
The cost of blocked access — financial and legal consequences
Configuring an account on the portal is free of charge. But the indirect costs of a recruitment blockage can be substantial.
Operating costs
Given the rates charged by IT specialists, delaying onboarding by several weeks can result in actual costs amounting to tens of thousands of zlotys per person — delayed projects, losing candidates in a competitive market and operational downtime.
Penalties for illegally employing a foreigner
If a company decides to let someone “start work” before obtaining a permit, it risks liability under Article 84 of the Act on the Conditions for Entrusting Work to Foreigners:
| Type of violation | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Illegally entrusting work to a foreigner (Article 84(1)) | Fine from PLN 3,000 to PLN 50,000 |
| Minimum for one foreigner (Article 84(13)) | PLN 3,000 per person |
| Aggravated offences (Article 84(3)–(5)) | From PLN 6,000 to PLN 50,000 |
| Fine imposed by the National Labour Inspectorate | Up to PLN 10,000 |
| Foreigner working illegally | Fine from PLN 1,000 to PLN 5,000 |
For 5 foreigners, the minimum is PLN 15,000. For 10 — PLN 30,000. There are also administrative consequences: subsequent work permit applications may be refused following a final conviction.
The regulations do not provide for any exemption from liability due to technical problems with the portal. Documenting attempts to obtain a permit (due diligence) may affect the amount of the penalty, but it does not exclude liability.
Revoking access — what to do when an HR employee leaves the company
The praca.gov.pl system is not linked to the employer’s HR records. A representative’s permissions do not expire automatically when their employment contract is terminated. The former employee retains the technical ability to submit applications and receive correspondence on behalf of the company.
How to revoke access:
- If you have other representatives: log in to the portal → “Organisation account management” → “Organisation representatives” → select the user → “Remove”. The former employee’s individual account remains active, but it is no longer linked to the company’s account.
- If the only representative is leaving: you must contact the district employment office — submit a letter requesting the removal of the former representative and the addition of a new one. This is another reason to appoint at least two people.
Add the revocation of access to the praca.gov.pl portal to your standard offboarding checklist — alongside the return of equipment, revocation of access to company systems and termination of powers of attorney.
Ready-to-use implementation checklist
You can give the list below to your HR team and start implementing it the same day.
| No. | Action | Responsible person | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Appoint at least 2 company representatives (a management board member or a commercial proxy authorised to act independently) | Management board | Do today |
| 2 | Each representative creates an individual account on praca.gov.pl | Representatives | Do today |
| 3 | Submit a PGP-WKOKR letter to the competent district employment office for each representative | Representatives / HR | Do today |
| 4 | In parallel: prepare and sign powers of attorney for the HR team | Lawyer + management board | Do today |
| 5 | Each HR employee creates an individual account on the portal | HR team | Within a week |
| 6 | After account verification: HR employees submit an “Assignment request” | HR team | After verification |
| 7 | The representative approves assignment requests on the portal | Verified representative | After receiving notification |
| 8 | Prepare an internal guide (the “Context” field, scope of powers of attorney) | HR / lawyer | Within 2 weeks |
| 9 | Add revocation of portal access to the offboarding checklist | HR | Within 2 weeks |
| 10 | Schedule a quarterly review: list of assigned users, availability of representatives, validity of powers of attorney | HR Manager | Recurring |
How we can help you
Configuring access to praca.gov.pl is not merely a technical matter. It lies at the intersection of employment law, company law and administrative procedure. An error at any of these levels prevents the employment of foreigners — and the regulations will not wait.
We help technology companies and growing organisations navigate the entire process from start to finish:
- Audit of the current configuration — we check whether the company’s account has been verified, how many representatives are active and whether the powers of attorney cover the actual scope of activities performed on the portal.
- Preparation of documentation — powers of attorney, letters to the employment office and an internal portal user guide for the HR team.
- Business continuity review — we identify single points of failure and propose solutions (commercial proxy authorised to act independently, additional representatives).
- Support in unusual situations — foreign management board members without PESEL numbers, a company with branches in multiple cities, revocation of access after an employee leaves.
- Ongoing monitoring of changes — the regulations on employing foreigners change rapidly; we provide updates on new requirements and revise documentation accordingly.
Do you employ foreigners and want to make sure your HR team has full operational access? Contact us — we will check whether your company’s account has been configured correctly.
Summary
A power of attorney is not enough. Without verification of the company’s account on the praca.gov.pl portal, your HR team will not be able to submit any application for a foreigner’s work permit. The two layers — legal and technical — must operate in parallel, not sequentially. Appoint at least two representatives, submit the letter to the employment office today and prepare the powers of attorney at the same time. Make portal access management part of your standard HR processes — onboarding, offboarding and quarterly reviews.
If you need support with configuring access, preparing powers of attorney or auditing your current setup, contact us.
Frequently asked questions
Our powers of attorney were signed a year ago — why can our new HR employee still not see the company on the portal?
A power of attorney is a civil-law document — it is not automatically transferred to the ICT system. For an HR employee to see the company on the praca.gov.pl portal, three conditions must be met: the company must have a verified organisation account (the PGP-WKOKR letter must have been processed by the employment office), the employee must have created their own individual account and submitted an “Assignment request”, and a verified representative must have approved that request. Check whether all three conditions have been met.
How long does it actually take for the employment office to verify a company’s account?
No statistical data has been published. Offices state that applications are processed “on an ongoing basis”. The legal framework under the Code of Administrative Procedure sets maximum time limits: 1 month for ordinary cases and 2 months for complex cases. Account verification is a straightforward matter, so it should take less time — but prudent planning requires submitting the application several weeks in advance.
Can I appoint someone who is not a management board member, such as the HR director, as a verified representative?
A representative on the portal may be a person authorised to represent the company independently — a management board member or a commercial proxy authorised to act independently (entered in the National Court Register). The HR director does not meet this requirement unless they hold such a commercial power of representation. However, once the account has been verified by a representative, the HR director may be assigned to the company’s account as a person acting under a power of attorney.
What if the sole management board member is a foreigner without a Polish trusted profile?
A trusted profile requires a PESEL number. A foreigner without a PESEL number may use a qualified electronic signature (which does not require a PESEL number) to create an account on the portal. Alternatively, appoint a commercial proxy with a PESEL number who is authorised to act independently and can be verified as the company’s representative. In the longer term, a PESEL number can be obtained by registering a residence for a stay exceeding 30 days or by submitting an application to a municipal authority.
What happens to the access of assigned users if the verified representative leaves the company?
The permissions of assigned users do not expire automatically — the system is not linked to HR records. Users who have already been assigned retain access. The problem arises when a new user needs to be assigned — without an active representative, no one can approve the “Assignment request”. This is why you should always appoint at least two representatives. If the only representative leaves, you must contact the employment office.
Do I need to configure access separately for each employment office if I employ people in different voivodeships?
No. An organisation account on praca.gov.pl is centralised — one REGON number, one account, nationwide coverage. Verification by one district employment office grants permissions across the entire system. You submit work permit applications to the district employment office competent for the place where the work will be performed, but access to the portal itself does not require separate configuration for each office.
