Guide to temporary entry into Poland under CETA

On this page

1. Short-term business visitors
2. Business visitors for investment purposes
3. Investors
4. Contractual service suppliers
5. Independent professionals
6. Intra-corporate transferees

This guide is for a Canadian business person temporarily travelling to Poland to do business. It provides general information about temporary entry and stay requirements for business people under the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and under Polish law. This guide aims to facilitate the entry of Canadian business people into Poland for the purposes of exploring, entering and expanding operations in the Polish market. You will find relevant links and summaries of main steps for work permit and visa applications, including costs and lengths, for the categories of business people covered in CETA.

Text of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement – Chapter 10: Temporary entry and stay of natural persons for business purposes

CETA entered into force provisionally in 2017, which means that Poland is bound by the Temporary Entry Chapter. However, there are still significant differences between CETA requirements and the national Polish laws regulating temporary entry. As such, some of the paths for entry identified in this guide do not fully overlap with the categories of business people covered in CETA.  

For any questions regarding Poland's temporary entry commitments under CETA, please contact: enquiry-demande.TE@international.gc.ca

Short-term business visitor

Do I qualify as a short-term business visitor under CETA?

Under CETA, a short-term business visitor is a Canadian traveling to Poland and for one of the following activities:  

• meetings and consultations
• research and design
• marketing research
• training seminars
• trade fairs and exhibitions
• sales
• purchasing
• after-sales or after-lease service
• commercial transactions

The detailed list of activities can be found under Annex 10-D of CETA.  As a short-term business visitor you cannot:

• sell a good or a service to the general public
• receive payment from a source located in Poland
• provide any other service to a consumer in Poland that is not listed under activities of a business visitor

Under CETA a Canadian short-term business visitor can stay in Poland for up to 90 days in a 180-day period.

Do I need a work permit or a visa as a short-term business visitor?

Under CETA, an eligible short-term business visitor does not need a work permit but may need a visa.

Under Polish law, Canadian short-term business visitors do not need a Schengen C visa to enter Poland. You are entitled to stay within any country of the Schengen area for up to 90 days in a 180-day period.

Canadian companies can also send non-Canadian nationals for short-term business travel in Poland. In this case, a Schengen C visa may be required, if the short-term business visitor is not a national of Canada or another a visa exempt country. They must file their application for Schengen C visas with the relevant Polish Consulate/Embassy. The processing time is approximately 2 weeks.

Related links

• Schengen area
• Schengen calculator
• Schengen C visa exempt countries

No application process is required as these are work permit exempted activities.

Business visitor for investment purposes

The business visitors for investment purposes category is covered under CETA but does not exist under Polish law. There are no specific work permit or visa options for a Canadian business visitor for investment purposes seeking temporary entry into Poland. If you have encountered problems entering Poland as a business visitor for investment purposes, please contact enquiry-demande.TE@international.gc.ca.

Do I qualify as a business visitor for investment purposes under CETA?

Under CETA, a Canadian business visitor for investment purposes is a Canadian manager or specialist responsible for setting up an enterprise in Poland.

A Canadian business visitor for investment purposes cannot:

• Work directly with the general public in Poland
• Receive compensation from a source located within Poland

Canadian business visitors for investment purposes can stay in Poland for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

Do I need a work permit or visa as a business visitor for investment purposes?

Under CETA, a Canadian business visitor for investment purposes does not need a work permit.

Under Polish law, there are no specific work permit or visa options for Canadian business visitors for investment purposes.

Investor

The investor category is not covered under the Poland’s CETA commitments but does exist under its domestic regime. See the What if I am a business person from a category that is not covered section for more details.

Contractual services supplier

Do I qualify as a contractual service supplier under CETA?

Under CETA, a contractual services supplier is a Canadian service supplier employed by an enterprise in Canada with a contract to provide a service to a consumer in Poland in an eligible service sector. A list of eligible services sectors under CETA is found under CETA Annex 10-E, number 9.

A Canadian contractual service supplier must also:

• have provided services as an employee of the contracted Canadian enterprise for at least 1 year before the date of their application for entry into Poland
• have a university degree or an equivalent qualification
• have at least 3 years of professional experience since the age of 18 in the sector of the contracted activity
• have any professional qualifications required to practice the activity according to the laws or requirements in Poland

For engineering technologists seeking entry as a contractual service supplier, a post-secondary bachelor's degree from an officially recognised institution in engineering technology is considered equivalent to a university degree.

For scientific technologists seeking entry as a contractual service supplier, a post-secondary bachelor's degree from an officially recognised institution in the disciplines of agriculture, architecture, biology, chemistry, physics, forestry, geology, geophysics, mining and energy is considered equivalent to a university degree.

A Canadian contractual service supplier cannot get paid for their services during their stay in Poland other than what is paid to them by their Canadian employers.

The Canadian enterprise that employs a Canadian contractual service supplier cannot have any establishment in Poland.

Fulfillment of the contract must require the temporary presence of the Canadian contractual service supplier in Poland.

Under CETA, a Canadian contractual services supplier can stay in Poland for up to 12 months or for the duration of the contract, whichever is less. Extensions are possible at the discretion of Poland’s officials.

Do I need a work permit or a visa as a contractual service supplier?

Under CETA, a Canadian contractual services supplier may need a work permit and a visa.

The main admission program for contractual service suppliers in Poland is a work permit type D. Non-EU nationals employed by a Canadian entity and transferred to Poland to provide services can use this option as long as:

• there is a service contract between a Polish company and the Canadian home company
• the duration of the trip is at least 30 days
• the salary requirements are met (salary requirements can be found on the EU Immigration Portal for Poland)

The maximum initial duration of this work and/or residence authorisation is 3 years and it can be extended unlimitedly. The visa is issued for 1 year.

How do I apply for a Work Permit Type D?

Step 1: applying for a Type D work permit application

Step 2: applying for a visa at a Polish consulate (for visa nationals or for stays exceeding 90 days)

Step 3: Filing of Posted Worker Notification at the latest on the day of the start of the activities. More information on the Posted Worker requirements please visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Republic of Poland. 

How much will it cost for a work permit?

The application cost is EUR 25 for the work permit, EUR 80 for the visa, and approximately EUR 100 for the residence permit.

How long will it take to process a work permit?

Processing is typically completed within 1-2 months, however, processing times can vary. You can find more information about the application process and eligibility conditions please visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Republic of Poland.

Independent professional

Do I qualify as an independent professional under CETA?

Under CETA, an independent professional is a self-employed Canadian service supplier with a contract to supply a service to a consumer in Poland in an eligible sector. You can find a list of eligible services sectors under CETA Annex 10-E, number 9.

A Canadian independent professional must also have:

• at least 6 years of professional experience in the sector of the contracted activity at the date of application of entry
• a university degree or equivalent qualification
• any professional qualifications required to practice the activity, according to the laws or requirements in Poland

For engineering technologists seeking entry as a contractual service supplier, a post-secondary bachelor's degree from an officially recognised institution in engineering technology is considered equivalent to a university degree.

For scientific technologists seeking entry as a contractual service supplier, a post-secondary bachelor's degree from an officially recognised institution in the disciplines of agriculture, architecture, biology, chemistry, physics, forestry, geology, geophysics, mining and energy is considered equivalent to a university degree.

Other requirements:

• a Canadian independent professional must not have established an enterprise in Poland
• fulfillment of the contract must require the temporary presence of the independent professional in Poland

Under CETA, a Canadian independent professional can stay in Poland for a period of up to 12 months or the duration of the contract, whichever is less. Extensions are possible at the discretion of Polish officials.

Do I need a work permit or a visa as an independent professional?

Currently there are no specific application procedures in place for independent professionals who are aiming to service a Polish client temporarily without establishing a company in Poland. Alternatively, independent professionals can obtain a work permit type A by the customer (service receiver). The work permit is issued for a period of up to 3 years and can be extended. Note that the work permit authorizes the independent professional to provide services only to the customer who applied for the work permit and a labour market test should be carried out in advance.

How do I apply for a Work Permit Type A?

Step 1: the customer must apply for a work permit with the Regional Governor’s Office determined by the location of the Regional Office closest to the Polish customer

Step 2: the applicant (independent service provider) applies for a visa at the Polish Consulate

How much does it cost for a work permit, visa or residence permit?

The application costs EUR 25 for the work permit, EUR 80 for the visa, and approximately EUR 100 for the residence permit.

How long will it take to process a work permit, visa or residence permit?

Processing is typically completed within 1-2 months, however, processing times can vary significantly.

More information on application for this permit is found on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Republic of Poland’s website.

Intra-corporate transferee

Do I qualify as an intra-corporate transferee under CETA?

Under CETA, Canadian intra-corporate transferees are senior personnel, specialists, or graduate trainees at a Canadian enterprise who are being temporarily transferred to a subsidiary, branch, or head company of the Canadian enterprise in Poland.

Senior personnel are Canadian business people in a senior position within an enterprise who:

• primarily manages the enterprise or a department or sub-division of the enterprise;
• make a wide range of decisions, including recruitment, promotions and dismissals;
• receive only general supervision or direction principally from higher-level executives, the board of directors, or stockholders of the business or their equivalent;
• supervises and controls the work of other supervisory, professional or managerial employees; and
• exercise discretionary authority over day-to-day operations

Specialists are Canadian business people who have:

• uncommon knowledge of the enterprise's products or services and its application in international markets; or
• an advanced level of expertise or knowledge of the enterprise's processes and procedures such as its production, research equipment, techniques, or management

In assessing such expertise or knowledge, Poland's officials will consider abilities that are unusual and different from those generally found in a particular industry and that cannot be easily transferred to another business person in the short-term. These abilities are obtained through specific academic qualifications or extensive experience with the enterprise.

Graduate trainees are Canadian business people who:

• have a university degree; and
• are being temporarily transferred to an enterprise in Poland for career development purposes, or to be trained in business techniques or methods

Do I need a work permit or a visa as an intra-corporate transferee?

Under CETA, you may need a work permit and a visa. Under Polish law, the main route for intra-corporate transferees to Poland is the Standard Intra-Corporate Transferee Permit.

For the Standard Intra-Corporate Transferees permit, there is no specific job, level of education or experience required. However, the employee must:

• be employed by the Canadian home entity
• have a corporate link with the Polish host entity
• be on the trip for at least 30 days
• meet the salary requirements

The maximum initial duration of this work and/or residence authorisation is 3 years, and it can be extended.

How do I apply under the Standard Intra-Corporate Transferee Permit?

Step 1: apply for a Type C work permit

Step 2: apply for a visa at a Polish consulate (for visa nationals or for stays exceeding 90 days)

Step 3: file a Posted Worker Notification on the day of the start of the activities at the latest.

You can find more information on the Posted Worker requirements on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Republic of Poland’s website. 

How much does it cost for a work permit, visa or residence permit?

The application costs EUR 25 for the work permit application, EUR 80 for the visa and approximately EUR 100 for the residence permit

How long will it take to process a work permit, visa or residence permit?

Application processing typically takes 1-2 months; however, processing times can vary significantly.

You can find more information on work permit application on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Republic of Poland’s website. 

What if I am a business person from a category that is not covered?

Entry into Poland for Canadian business people not belonging to any of the categories covered under the CETA is subject to Poland's acts and regulations governing entry and stay.

To explore other paths for entry into Poland, please consult Poland's official visa portal.

Disclaimer: The information contained herein is current as of January 2024 (national immigration legislations may change, sometimes at short notice). It is offered for informational purposes only and does not constitute general legal advice. The information: (i) must be regarded as a practical guide for general information and not a process guide for determining the specific immigration requirements of the countries covered, (ii) should not be a substitute for a more in-depth analysis of applicable facts and circumstances (including, without limitation, criminal or health-related circumstances) conducted by competent professionals, (iii) indicated processing times and fees herein are approximate, are subject to the specific case circumstances, and  change. The information herein does not guarantee the outcome or approval of any particular immigration application.