Regulated professions
Pursuant to binding regulations, obtaining a work permit does not exempt a foreigner from meeting requirements stipulated under separate laws whose discharge determines the right to pursue regulated professions or business activities (Article 88d of the Act of 20 April 2004 on employment promotion and labour market institutions).
Warunki dostępu do poszczególnych zawodów są określone w ustawodawstwie krajowym każdego państwa. Są zawody, wykonywanie których nie wymaga spełnienia żadnych dodatkowych warunków, są zaś i takie, które można wykonywać po uzyskaniu odpowiednich kwalifikacji lub spełnieniu wymogów określonych przepisami krajowymi (właśnie te zaliczamy do zawodów regulowanych).
The terms of entering respective professions are determined in the domestic legislation of every country. Some professions do not require any additional terms; however, there are some which can be pursued only after obtaining relevant qualifications or meeting requirements specified in domestic legislation (these are called regulated professions).
Additional requirements which permit taking up a job in the given profession include but are not limited to: obtaining appropriate education or training, holding a diploma, passing an examination, completing an internship or required professional practice, or obtaining an entry to the list of professionals pursuing a given profession. A pursued profession may be a regulated profession in one EU member state but not in other EU member states.
For persons who have acquired relevant qualifications in one of EU member states, the procedures regarding regulated professions have been stipulated in the Database of Regulated Professions (Baza Zawodów Regulowanych). The institution competent for recognising foreign diplomas and university degrees is currently the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, and specifically its Foreign Cooperation Department (Departament Współpracy Międzynarodowej, DWM).
tel. +48 (22) 529-22-66, +48 (22) 628-67-76
fax. +48 (22) 628-35-34
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In case of persons who have obtained their professional qualifications outside the territory of the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and the Swiss Confederation, employment within the territory of the Republic of Poland ensues in accordance with Polish regulations; consequently, in case of an intention to take up a job in a regulated profession (click here for the list of regulated professions), it is first required to have your foreign diploma or certificate validated. Only then is it possible to apply for a license necessary to pursue the given profession in accordance with Polish law.
If the profession you will pursue is not a regulated profession in Poland, it is up to the employer to recognise your qualifications you have obtained abroad. Sometimes, employers may request that the equivalence of a foreign document with its Polish counterpart be confirmed or apply for an opinion on the level of foreign education which is issued by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education upon the application of either party.
NB: The Ministry will issue an opinion solely with regard to foreign documents confirming completed higher education (unified programme studies, first-degree and second-degree studies) as well as academic degrees and titles in the fields within the scope of competence of the Minister competent for higher education. Foreign documents confirming completed education on secondary or higher level are assessed by regional boards of education (territorially competent for the place of residence of the document holder or the seat of the academy to which the document holder applies). Opinions are not issued for documents certifying post-graduate studies and courses completed abroad.
A confirmation of foreign diploma equivalence can also take place on the basis of an international agreement or, should no such agreement be concluded, by way of diploma validation.
List of international agreements
More information on the validation of diplomas and school certificates obtained abroad can be found in the article on Higher education.
NB: Diplomas confirming graduating from university studies abroad will not be recognised in Poland if:
1. the institutions which issued them or where the education took place:
- were not recognised academies on the date of issuing the diploma or pursued a curriculum which has not been recognised on the date of issuing the diploma;
- are not operating in the higher education system of any country;
2. the studies curriculum or its part was pursued in contradiction to the regulations of the country where the education took place.
Browse through procedures pertaining to regulated professions
In recent years, a number of measures was taken to simplify access to regulated professions; it is recommended to notify potential employers of it. The following laws were passed in 2013 and 2014: Act of 24 June 2013 amending the acts regulating the performance of certain professions and Act of 9 May 2014 on simplifying access to certain regulated professions.