Your Salary May Need to Increase From January 2027!
Are you working in Poland, planning to change jobs, or waiting for a temporary residence and work permit (TRC)?
Important changes are coming on 1 January 2027.
The Polish government has officially confirmed new minimum wage rates for 2027.
From January 2027, the minimum monthly wage for full-time employees will increase to PLN 4,950 gross, while the statutory minimum hourly rate for qualifying civil-law contracts will increase to PLN 32.30 gross.
For many employees, this means their employer must increase their salary.
But for foreign workers, the changes can have additional consequences.
If you are waiting for a temporary residence and work permit, your employer may need to update Annex No. 1 (Załącznik nr 1) to reflect your new salary.
And if you already have a valid residence card, you should understand how the new minimum wage interacts with the employment conditions in your administrative decision.
This guide explains everything.
1. What Is Poland’s Minimum Wage in 2027?
The Polish government adopted the new minimum wage regulation on 14 September 2026.
The regulation was officially published on 15 September 2026 in the Journal of Laws, item 1213.
The new rates take effect on 1 January 2027.
Poland Minimum Wage: 2026 vs 2027
| Category | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly minimum wage (gross) | PLN 4,806 | PLN 4,950 |
| Minimum hourly rate (gross) | PLN 31.40 | PLN 32.30 |
| Monthly increase | — | PLN 144 |
| Hourly increase | — | PLN 0.90 |
The monthly increase represents approximately 3%.
These amounts are gross figures, meaning before applicable income tax and employee social-insurance deductions.
Your actual take-home pay will depend on your employment circumstances.
Official source: Polish minimum wage regulation for 2027.
2. Who Must Receive at Least PLN 4,950 in 2027?
The new monthly minimum wage applies to employees working full-time under an employment contract (umowa o pracę).
If you work full-time and your legally counted monthly remuneration is below PLN 4,950 gross, your employer must ensure that your pay meets the new minimum from January 2027.
For example, if you currently earn PLN 4,806 gross monthly, the increase to PLN 4,950 represents an additional PLN 144 gross per month.
However, not every person in Poland automatically receives a PLN 144 salary increase.
If you already earn PLN 6,000 gross monthly, the increase in the statutory minimum wage does not automatically require your employer to increase your salary to PLN 6,144.
Your existing salary already exceeds the new statutory minimum.
3. Does the New Minimum Wage Apply to Foreign Workers?
Yes.
The statutory minimum wage is not restricted to Polish citizens.
Foreign workers employed under qualifying employment arrangements are also protected by Polish minimum wage legislation.
For example, if you are a Nigerian, Indian, Filipino, Ukrainian, Georgian or other foreign national legally employed in Poland under a full-time employment contract, the same statutory minimum wage applies.
Your nationality does not allow an employer to pay less than the applicable legal minimum.
4. What About Umowa Zlecenie in 2027?
Many foreigners work in Poland under an umowa zlecenie, commonly translated as a mandate contract.
This is a civil-law contract rather than a standard employment contract.
From 1 January 2027, the statutory minimum hourly rate for qualifying mandate contracts and service agreements will increase to:
PLN 32.30 gross per hour.
For example, if you work 160 hours in a month at the minimum hourly rate:
160 × PLN 32.30 = PLN 5,168 gross.
However, your actual earnings depend on the number of hours worked and the contract’s legal conditions.
The statutory hourly minimum has exemptions for certain arrangements, so not every civil-law contract is covered identically.
5. What If You Work Part-Time in Poland?
For ordinary employment contracts, the statutory minimum monthly remuneration is generally proportional to working time.
For example, assuming a normal part-time employment contract:
| Working time | Illustrative 2027 minimum gross pay |
|---|---|
| Full-time | PLN 4,950 |
| Three-quarter time | PLN 3,712.50 |
| Half-time | PLN 2,475 |
| Quarter-time | PLN 1,237.50 |
These figures illustrate the proportional employment-law minimum.
However, foreign workers applying for a temporary residence and work permit need to understand an additional immigration rule.
6. Important: TRC Salary Requirements Are Different From Part-Time Minimum Wage Rules
This is one of the most important sections for foreigners.
Under the general rules for a temporary residence and work permit (zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy i pracę), the monthly remuneration specified for the foreigner must not be lower than the statutory minimum monthly wage.
The official MOS immigration guidance explains that this requirement generally applies regardless of whether the applicant works full-time, half-time or quarter-time.
This means that from January 2027, an applicant under the standard single-permit route should generally demonstrate monthly gross remuneration of at least:
PLN 4,950.
Consider this example.
You work half-time under an employment contract.
Your employer pays PLN 2,475 gross monthly.
That may satisfy the proportional minimum wage requirement under ordinary employment law.
But it would generally not satisfy the PLN 4,950 monthly remuneration requirement for the standard temporary residence and work permit.
The two requirements are different.
Other residence categories and special rules may have different income conditions, so do not automatically apply the single-permit rule to every residence application.
7. Can You Combine Salaries From Two Employers for Your TRC?
Potentially, yes.
The official MOS guidance explains that where a foreigner works for multiple employers, the combined monthly remuneration can be considered when assessing the minimum salary requirement for a temporary residence and work permit.
For example:
Employer A: PLN 2,500 gross monthly.
Employer B: PLN 2,600 gross monthly.
Combined salary: PLN 5,100 gross monthly.
This exceeds the 2027 minimum of PLN 4,950.
However, both employment arrangements must be properly documented and legally authorized.
Each relevant employer may need to complete the appropriate employer annex.
8. Waiting for Your TRC Decision? Check Annex No. 1
If you have applied for a temporary residence and work permit and are still waiting for the Voivodeship Office to issue a decision, this section is particularly important.
Annex No. 1, known in Polish as Załącznik nr 1, contains employment information supplied by the employer.
It may include:
- Employer details.
- Job position.
- Type of employment contract.
- Working hours.
- Gross remuneration.
- Employment conditions.
The immigration authorities use this information to assess whether the proposed employment meets the legal requirements.
The official MOS guidance states that the conditions specified in Annex No. 1 must be current when the permit is issued and consistent with supporting documents, including the employment contract.
Therefore, if your salary increases from PLN 4,806 to PLN 4,950 in January 2027, an Annex No. 1 showing only the old salary may no longer reflect your current employment conditions.
What Should You Do?
Ask your employer to check whether an updated Annex No. 1 is necessary.
If your salary has changed and the office has not yet issued a decision, it is sensible to provide the office with current employment information in the manner required for your application.
For applications handled through the electronic MOS system, follow the applicable electronic submission and document-update procedure.
Do not assume that the office will automatically update the salary information in your file.
9. What If You Submitted Your TRC Application in 2025 or 2026?
Imagine this situation.
You submitted your temporary residence and work permit application in September 2025.
Your employer completed Annex No. 1 showing a salary that met the applicable requirements at the time.
Your application is still pending in January 2027.
The statutory minimum wage is now PLN 4,950 gross.
If the salary in your application is below the new required level, the authorities may need updated information demonstrating that the current employment conditions satisfy the requirements applicable to the decision.
You should not assume that the salary recorded in your original application remains sufficient indefinitely simply because it was acceptable when you first applied.
Ask your employer to update the employment documentation where necessary.
10. Do You Need a New Employment Contract in January 2027?
Not necessarily.
Your employer must comply with the new minimum wage, but this does not always mean that a completely new employment contract is required.
For example, if your contract states a fixed gross salary of PLN 4,806, a written amendment (aneks do umowy) may be appropriate to document the increase.
If your remuneration is already determined through a legally applicable pay regulation or another mechanism, the documentation requirements may differ.
The key point is that the employer must pay the legally required amount from the date the new minimum takes effect.
For immigration purposes, it is also useful to keep clear written evidence of your updated salary.
11. Already Have a Valid Residence Card? Do You Need a New TRC?
An annual statutory minimum wage increase does not automatically mean every foreign worker must apply for a completely new residence card.
If you already hold a temporary residence and work permit, your employer must still comply with the applicable minimum wage.
However, you should check the administrative decision granting your permit.
A single permit may specify employment conditions, including remuneration, working time, job position and employer.
Not every change has the same legal consequences.
An increase in salary to comply with the statutory minimum does not, by itself, mean that you must obtain a completely new residence card.
Other changes, such as a different employer, job position, reduced remuneration or altered working time, may require a permit amendment or other legal action.
Always check the conditions of your actual residence decision.
12. Does the Salary Increase Affect Existing Work Permits?
Employers holding work permits for foreign employees must ensure that the employment arrangements comply with applicable Polish law.
The increase in the statutory minimum wage does not automatically require every existing work permit to be replaced.
However, the salary actually paid must satisfy the new statutory minimum where applicable.
If other employment conditions change, the employer should verify whether a new authorization or amendment is required.
13. What If Your Employer Refuses to Increase Your Salary?
If you are covered by the statutory minimum wage and your employer continues paying below the applicable minimum after 1 January 2027, the employer may be violating Polish employment law.
You can first request clarification from the employer or payroll department.
If the problem is not resolved, the Państwowa Inspekcja Pracy (PIP) — Poland’s National Labour Inspectorate — is the public authority responsible for supervising compliance with labour legislation.
PIP has confirmed that employers failing to comply with statutory minimum wage requirements can face financial penalties.
Workers should keep employment contracts, payslips and other relevant documents as evidence.
14. Does the Increase Affect Family Reunification Applications?
Potentially, but not always in the same way as a temporary residence and work permit.
For some family-based residence applications, the authorities may examine whether the applicant or sponsor has stable and regular income sufficient to support the family.
If employment income is used to demonstrate financial stability, updated salary documentation may be useful.
However, family reunification income requirements are not automatically identical to the statutory minimum monthly wage.
The applicable income requirement depends on the particular family-reunification route and legal conditions.
Therefore, a family-reunification applicant should not assume that PLN 4,950 is automatically the minimum salary required for every family-based residence application.
15. Practical Examples for Foreign Workers
Example 1: Full-Time Warehouse Worker
A foreign worker earns PLN 4,806 gross monthly under a full-time employment contract.
From January 2027, the employer must ensure that the employee’s legally counted remuneration reaches at least PLN 4,950 gross monthly.
Example 2: Half-Time Employee
A foreign worker earns PLN 2,475 gross monthly for half-time employment.
This can satisfy the proportional statutory employment minimum.
However, if the worker applies for the standard temporary residence and work permit using only that employment, the salary generally does not meet the single-permit monthly remuneration requirement of PLN 4,950.
Example 3: Worker Waiting for TRC
A foreigner submitted a TRC application in 2026 with Annex No. 1 showing PLN 4,806 gross monthly.
The application remains pending in 2027.
The employer increases the salary to PLN 4,950.
The applicant should ensure that the immigration file reflects the updated salary and employment conditions where required.
Example 4: Employee Earning PLN 6,000
A foreign worker earns PLN 6,000 gross monthly.
Because this exceeds the new statutory minimum, the employer does not automatically have to increase the salary merely because the minimum wage has risen.
16. Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Poland’s Minimum Wage in 2027?
From 1 January 2027, Poland’s minimum monthly wage is PLN 4,950 gross for full-time employment.
What Is the Minimum Hourly Rate in Poland in 2027?
The statutory minimum hourly rate for qualifying civil-law contracts is PLN 32.30 gross.
Will Every Worker Receive a Salary Increase?
No. Workers whose legally counted remuneration already meets or exceeds the new applicable minimum do not automatically qualify for a pay rise solely because the statutory minimum has increased.
Do Foreign Workers Receive the Same Minimum Wage?
Yes. The applicable minimum wage protections are not restricted to Polish citizens.
Is PLN 4,950 Net or Gross?
It is a gross amount, before applicable deductions.
Does a Half-Time Worker Need to Earn PLN 4,950?
For ordinary employment-law purposes, the minimum monthly wage is generally proportional to working time.
However, the standard temporary residence and work permit generally requires monthly remuneration of at least the full statutory minimum wage, regardless of working time.
Should I Update Annex No. 1 if My TRC Is Pending?
If your salary or other employment conditions have changed, ensure that your application contains current information. Ask your employer to prepare an updated Annex No. 1 where necessary and submit it using the applicable procedure.
Do I Need a New Karta Pobytu Because the Minimum Wage Increased?
Not automatically. A statutory minimum wage increase does not, by itself, require every foreign worker to obtain a new residence card.
What If My Employer Pays Less Than PLN 4,950?
If you are employed full-time under an employment contract and the remuneration legally counted toward the minimum is below PLN 4,950 gross from January 2027, the employer must address the shortfall.
Can Two Part-Time Jobs Meet the TRC Salary Requirement?
Potentially, yes. The combined monthly remuneration from qualifying employment can be considered, provided the work is legally authorized and properly documented.
Final Thoughts: Check Your Salary Before January 2027
Poland’s minimum wage increase will affect many workers from the beginning of 2027.
The new statutory minimum monthly wage will be PLN 4,950 gross, while the minimum hourly rate for qualifying civil-law contracts will be PLN 32.30 gross.
For Polish and foreign employees alike, employers must comply with the new applicable rates.
But foreign workers should pay particular attention to the immigration consequences.
If you are waiting for a temporary residence and work permit, make sure that your employer’s Annex No. 1 and other supporting documents reflect current employment conditions.
If you already hold a valid residence and work permit, check your administrative decision and confirm that your employment remains compliant.
Remember: a salary that satisfied the minimum requirements in 2026 may no longer satisfy the same requirements in 2027.
Preparing your documents before the new year can help avoid unnecessary complications with your employment and residence application.
Last updated: November 2026
Disclaimer: This article provides general information about Polish minimum wage and immigration requirements. It is not individual legal advice. Rules vary according to employment arrangements, residence category and individual circumstances. Always consult official Polish government guidance or a qualified professional when necessary.
