How to Hire Farm and Agricultural Workers in Poland (2026)

7 min

Labor shortages and costs in Polish agriculture

Agricultural operations across Poland face persistent labor shortages during peak operational windows. The shortage is most acute in major agricultural hubs: the Grójec and Warka orchard belt in Mazowieckie, soft fruit growing zones around Kraśnik in Lubelskie, intensive vegetable farming in Łódzkie, and major dairy and swine operations across Wielkopolskie and Podlaskie. The seasonal hiring period runs continuously from April through October, covering planting, soft fruit harvesting, apple picking, and field crop collection. Year-round agricultural work remains concentrated in greenhouse production and livestock management.

Historically, Polish farms relied almost entirely on short-term seasonal labor from Ukraine. Changes in regional demographics and military mobilization laws have sharply reduced this traditional worker pipeline. As a result, Polish agricultural employers are increasingly looking to non-EU source countries in Central and South Asia, including Nepal, India, Uzbekistan, and the Philippines. However, hiring workers from non-border countries requires navigating longer administrative procedures and securing formal permits well in advance of harvest season.

What this costs you, roughly

Direct administrative and setup expenses for bringing a non-EU farm worker to Poland vary depending on the permit path and source country. Typical cost lines include:

Seasonal permit application fee (PUP): 30 PLN per worker submitted to the local Powiatowy Urząd Pracy.
Standard work permit fee (Type A): 50 PLN (for stays up to 3 months) to 100 PLN (for stays over 3 months) submitted to the Urząd Wojewódzki.
Sworn translation of candidate documents: 150 PLN to 400 PLN per candidate for necessary civil or operational documents.
Consular and visa logistics support: 0 PLN to 500 PLN if using local administrative assistance in the worker country of origin.
Inbound travel expenses: 1,500 PLN to 4,200 PLN per worker if the employer chooses to cover flight or transit arrangements.
Mandatory employer social security contributions (ZUS): Approximately 20.48 percent on top of gross wage payments under standard employment or mandate contracts.
On-site worker housing: 250 PLN to 600 PLN per worker per month in operational and utility upkeep where farm housing is provided.

Legal routes and mandatory filings in Poland

Polish law provides distinct routes for employing foreign agricultural workers, depending on whether the work is strictly seasonal or year-round. All application processes are initiated by the Polish employer, not the foreign candidate.

For seasonal agricultural work, including crop harvesting, orchard picking, and seasonal animal care, employers must use the Type S Seasonal Work Permit (zezwolenie na pracę sezonową). The employer submits the application to their local County Labour Office (Powiatowy Urząd Pracy - PUP). The Type S permit allows a non-EU citizen to work in defined agricultural sectors for up to 9 months within a single calendar year. A labor market test (informacja starosty) is generally waived for seasonal agricultural occupations included in national shortage lists, but employers should confirm local office exemptions directly with their PUP.

For citizens of specified countries (Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine), employers can utilize the simplified declaration procedure (oświadczenie o powierzeniu wykonywania pracy cudzoziemcowi), registered at the PUP. This allows work for up to 24 months without requiring a full work permit. For permanent, year-round farm positions such as farm machinery mechanics, livestock supervisors, or dairy managers, employers must apply for a standard Type A Work Permit (zezwolenie na pracę typ A) through the regional Voivodeship Office (Urząd Wojewódzki).

Immigration regulations and local processing practices change frequently. Employers must verify current filing protocols and specific document requirements directly with the relevant Powiatowy Urząd Pracy or Urząd Wojewódzki before initiating recruitment.

Realistic timelines from decision to worker start date

Employers planning their staffing needs must factor in administrative processing times across both Polish authorities and foreign consulates. Bringing a non-EU worker to a farm in Poland is not a quick solution for an immediate labor shortfall.

PUP seasonal permit (Type S) issuance: 7 to 30 days from document submission.
Voivodeship Type A work permit issuance: 2 to 6 months, depending on administrative backlog at the specific Urząd Wojewódzki.
Consular visa appointment and processing: 4 to 12 weeks in the candidate country of origin.
Travel arrangements and local registration: 1 to 2 weeks.

The total lead time from issuing an employment offer to the worker physically arriving on the farm ranges from 2 to 4 months for seasonal permits (Type S) and 4 to 8 months for year-round work permits (Type A). For spring and summer harvests, Polish agricultural employers must submit their permit filings with the PUP no later than December or January.

Pay rates, social security, and housing obligations

Foreign farm workers in Poland must receive statutory minimum compensation levels identical to Polish workers. Employers can contract workers under three main legal frameworks:

Contract of Mandate (Umowa zlecenie): Most common for seasonal agricultural labor. Employers must pay at least the statutory national minimum hourly rate (minimalna stawka godzinowa), which is set between 30.50 PLN and 32.50 PLN gross per hour.
Harvest Assistance Contract (Umowa o pomocy przy zbiorach): A specialized agricultural contract governed by the Agricultural Social Insurance Fund (KRUS). Valid for up to 180 days per calendar year for crop harvesting. The farmer pays compulsory health and accident insurance contributions directly to KRUS rather than standard ZUS.
Standard Employment Contract (Umowa o pracę): Required for permanent, full-time farm staff. Compensation must meet or exceed the national monthly minimum wage (approx 4,600 PLN to 4,800 PLN gross per month).

Social security registration with ZUS or KRUS must occur within 7 days of the worker commencing duties on the farm. Employers who operate farm machinery must check driver qualification requirements. If foreign workers operate agricultural tractors or heavy equipment on public roads in Poland, their foreign driving licence (Category T or C+E equivalent) must be verified and, where legally required, converted for domestic use. Farm managers must also ensure workers receive required occupational health assessments (badania lekarskie) and health and safety training (BHP) in a language they understand.

Where on-site accommodation is provided, facilities must meet health and sanitation guidelines supervised by the National Labour Inspectorate (Państwowa Inspekcja Pracy - PIP) and the State Sanitary Inspectorate (Sanepid). Deductions from wages for housing costs are regulated; employers cannot inflate accommodation charges to depress worker pay below statutory minimums.

Preventing recruitment fraud and employer liability

Under Polish law and international employment conventions, legitimate employers and recruitment platforms never demand payment from job candidates in exchange for employment, permit processing, or job placement. Foreign workers who are asked to pay upfront money to secure a farm role in Poland are frequently victims of illegal fee-charging schemes.

Polish farm owners who work with third-party recruiters or local intermediaries must ensure that no illegal recruitment charges are extracted from applicants. Accepting workers who have been charged illegal placement fees creates severe legal liability under Polish labor laws, risking fines from Państwowa Inspekcja Pracy, loss of authorization to employ foreign nationals, and border guard audit sanctions by Straż Graniczna.

Finding farm workers on the Workuro registry

Workuro operates an open worker registry where farm workers, machinery operators, and harvest staff abroad publish public profiles indicating their availability to work in Poland. Workuro is not a recruitment agency, does not charge per-hire fees, and takes no commission on employment contracts.

Employers can search the Workuro database using targeted filters for agricultural skills, tractor operation, livestock handling, or harvest experience. You can review candidate profiles, assess language capabilities and past employment, and contact applicants directly to conduct interviews and negotiate terms.

The Workuro registry is a young, growing platform. Profile availability for specific agricultural trades varies by region and season. Employers manage their own selection, issue their own job offers, and file the necessary permit documentation directly with their local Powiatowy Urząd Pracy or Urząd Wojewódzki.