Working in Poland directly without intermediaries – is it realistic for a beginner?

It seems a little illogical that a foreigner in a difficult situation, who often decides to go to Poland to work out of desperation, pays intermediaries to go abroad and get a job. At first, it would seem more logical to work through a labor agency, but this is not always suitable for people.

We will leave out the details and not talk about unscrupulous agencies that deceive people, nor will we talk about fraudulent schemes, but will understand why foreigners are often forced to use the services of employment agencies.

Lack of knowledge of Polish language

In order to find a job in Poland directly from a Polish employer, you need to learn Polish at least at a conversational level so that a foreign employee can understand the employer and the employer can understand him.

Then you need to write an email to the Polish employer, or if the vacancy is posted on the olx.pl portal or similar, send a message to the employer.

The level of Polish language should be such that the employer understands it. Something incomprehensible from an online translator with questionable content is unlikely to interest the employer. If we are talking about the olx.pl website, there is a warning in Polish to ignore messages written in broken Polish, as they may be potential fraudsters, and most likely, this is how a Pole on the other side of the monitor will perceive a foreigner’s message translated in an online translator.

Resume in Polish

It is very important to include a resume in Polish with your letter. Although even the presence of good Polish and everything described above – vacancies, sent letters and resumes – rarely leads to a foreigner being written back or called back, even if they are in Poland.

It is better to call than to write

It is much more effective to call a Polish employer. After the call, he will ask the candidate to send a resume and then there are many chances that he will read it. If the employer is interested in the candidate, he will set a date for a meeting.

Information for foreigners

So, you need to call. Yes, to a Polish number. Yes, overcome your fear that you don’t know Polish and speak English. Yes, the call does not guarantee that you will get the job. Yes, the call does not guarantee that you will get a job immediately – the decision may take 2-3 weeks. Yes, you may not understand something or understand it incorrectly.

Yes, you need to buy a starter package for cheap calls to Poland or activate a special offer in your tariff plan. Yes, you may arrive at the wrong place. Yes, you can spend a lot of time and money on the phone, and no one will hire you.

If your country doesn’t have visa-free travel or you don’t have an open work visa, don’t waste your time and money – there will be very little chance of finding a job. However, it is always worth trying and not giving up.

If you are a qualified specialist, for example, a programmer or, say, a high-class welder with experience, they can wait even 2 months or more and send you a job invitation in advance, which will open a visa, but the second option is most likely a rarity.

From 12.09.17 everything is easier, if you have a biometric passport, then you do not need a visa. However, you can work 86 days in six months – this is good for seasonal workers, and for those who want to continue working, you need to apply for a residence card or a voivodeship invitation.

What should a foreigner who is hired by a direct employer do?

Let’s say a foreign employee has gone through this complicated process, found a vacancy, contacted an employer in Poland, obtained a work permit from this employer, opened a work visa, arrived in Poland and was hired for a probationary period. And then the next problem arises: finding accommodation.

If the job is through an agency, the agency usually provides housing – paid or free, depending on the specific vacancy and the specific employment agency.

If you work for a direct Polish employer, you will most likely need to find accommodation yourself. The employer may help, but this is rare.

It is very difficult to find accommodation on your own. As a rule, there are several applicants for one apartment and the owner of the apartment decides to take you or someone else within a few days. It’s like a lottery.

Where can a foreigner look for accommodation in Poland?

On Polish classifieds portals, call the numbers yourself and arrange a meeting.

If a foreigner arrives in Poland and is looking for accommodation, he or she must stay in hostels for a certain period of time, preferably cheap ones. The price of a hostel per night is about 50-150 zlotys per day. You also need to be prepared for the fact that many Polish apartment owners will realize that you are a foreigner and may refuse you only because of your citizenship and nationality. Yes, it’s an unpleasant fact, but it happens, so you have to be prepared for it.

If a foreigner is lucky enough to find an apartment in Poland on his own, he should know that the price includes rent, utilities, and a monthly payment of the building fee. In addition, most apartment owners also take a so-called deposit – a one-time amount that is taken as insurance in case you damage the apartment or property in it. As a rule, the deposit is often in the amount of a full one-month payment (rent, utilities, building fee).

For example, a foreigner found an apartment in Wroclaw for PLN 1800 per month. The payment for the house territory is PLN 300 per month. Utilities – PLN 100 per month. He has to pay 2200 PLN of full rent + 2200 deposit = 4400 PLN for the first month. The landlord will return the 2200 deposit at the end of the rental period if nothing is damaged and if the landlord is a decent person.

Why agency services are often the best way out (no way out)

Agencies receive vacancies from the employer, translate and post them, then consult with clients, contact the Polish employer in case of questions and explain the details of a particular vacancy.

Once a person has been found for a job, they collect his or her data and create a resume from it, translate it into Polish, and send it to Poland for review. If the employee is accepted, they are helped to plan an itinerary and consulted on the way, if necessary, i.e. they are “guided” to the place of work in Poland.

All of the above is the work of a person in the agency and the time spent, and it does not matter what it is called – employment, consultation or information services – this is a completely different issue.

Agencies rent housing for their employees, so you don’t need to worry about it anymore. Of course, the housing can be of different quality – in a nice modern house where couples live separately, and men or women have 3-4 people in a room. It can be the other way around – 10 people in a room, the walls are faded from dampness, dirt and stench. It can be something in between. It all depends on the agency.

Foreigners who cannot find a job with a direct employer for the above reasons are advised to use the services of those agencies that have a good reputation in the market, have positive feedback from real people, have been working in the labor market for a long time, and offer a wide range of services – assistance in obtaining a visa, employment, applying for a residence card, etc.

It is worth taking into account that there are many pseudo-agencies that only sell free invitations. There are also those that offer non-existent vacancies.

Well, if you do not want to use the services of employment agencies, read carefully all the points of finding a job with a direct employer above and try to find a job in Poland without intermediaries, directly from a Polish employer or a Polish employment agency. The main thing is to strive for the goal and never give up.