Foreign workers & legalization

Employment legalization

When you onboard a foreign national, the wizard adds a legalization step. Onboardly tailors the questions to the employee's citizenship and maintains a legalization file.

The legalization step appears in the wizard only when the person being onboarded is a foreign national. The scope of the questions depends on citizenship — ranging from skipping the step entirely to a full set of work-permit details.

Four paths by citizenship

Path	Who it applies to	What you provide
Polish citizen	People with Polish citizenship	The step is skipped — no legalization is needed.
Freedom of movement	Citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland	Only the type and number of an identity document. You do not need a work permit.
Ukraine and some countries	People using simplified access to the labor market	A question about a residence document, and upon employment — a notification to praca.gov.pl.
Third countries	Other foreign nationals	Permit type (A–E or residence card), number, validity dates and a scan of the document.

Polish citizen

The wizard detects Polish citizenship and skips the legalization step. You move straight on.

EU, EEA and Switzerland

People using freedom of movement do not need a work permit. You provide only the type and number of an identity document.

Ukraine and some countries

Onboardly asks: do you have a residence document?

Yes — you provide the document's validity date and optionally upload a scan of it.
No — you report the missing document to the employer, who will complete the matter.

A Ukrainian citizen with legal residence may work once the employer files a notification of entrusting work at praca.gov.pl within 7 days of the start of work.

Third countries

For other foreign nationals you collect a full set of data on the legal basis for work: permit type (type A–E or residence card), number, validity dates and a document upload. If the matter is handled by the employer or a partner, instead of the data you can report it to the employer.

Legalization file

The data and documents you collect form the employee's legalization file. It is the source of validity dates for alerts and the basis for further handling of the matter — including by an external entity in the Partner portal.

You file with the authorities yourself

Automated filing of notifications and applications to praca.gov.pl is on the roadmap. Today Onboardly maintains the documentation and checklist — the actual filing with the authorities you do at praca.gov.pl.

Partner portal

Hand off legalization to an external entity.

Type A work permit

When it is needed and how to read it.

Notification of work for a Ukrainian

The 7-day deadline and how to file.