In Poland, new rules for calculating length of service for employees of private companies took effect on May 1, 2026. Now, more periods of employment and other activities can be included in the calculation of length of service; however, employees must verify this information themselves through ZUS. Learn more about who is eligible for additional vacation days and what documents you should submit now

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In Poland, significant changes affecting millions of workers—including foreign nationals—have taken effect. As of May 1, 2026, new rules for calculating length of service have come into effect in the private sector; these rules were previously applied only in public institutions. Now, not only official employment under an employment contract but also entrepreneurial activities, work under civil law contracts, certain periods of childcare, and even part of work experience abroad can be counted toward seniority.

For many employees, this means the opportunity to receive longer paid leave, higher allowances, or additional employment guarantees. At the same time, the new rules have an important caveat: the recalculation of seniority does not happen automatically. To take advantage of these new opportunities, employees must submit the necessary documents to ZUS and their employer on their own. That is why Polish lawyers and HR departments advise against delaying the submission of certificates, as there is a strict deadline for submitting proof.

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What has changed for employees in Poland as of May 1, 2026?

As of May 2026, Poland has officially changed the rules for calculating work experience for private-sector employees. The main goal of the reform is to take into account a person’s actual professional experience, even if they did not work solely under a traditional employment contract. Previously, many periods of employment effectively “did not count” toward seniority, even though employees had been paying contributions and working officially for years.

The new rules are particularly important for foreigners, Ukrainians, freelancers, and people who worked under commission contracts or ran their own businesses in Poland. Now, part of this experience can be officially taken into account when determining employment rights.

The following can now be counted toward employment history:

- Engaging in entrepreneurial activities;

- Work under civil law contracts (umowa zlecenie);

- Certain periods of work abroad;

- Participation in a family business;

- Membership in cooperatives;

- Certain periods of childcare.

At the same time, the Polish government emphasizes that the changes pertain specifically to an employee’s labor rights, not to pension eligibility. In other words, the new rules may affect the number of days of paid leave, bonuses, allowances, or other benefits, but do not automatically increase future pension benefits.

According to Poland’s ZUS, in just the first few months after the new rules took effect, the agency received hundreds of thousands of requests for confirmation of service. This indicates that the issue has become particularly relevant for employees who previously lost part of their professional experience due to the old legal provisions.

In our previous article, we reported that Poland retains its status as the EU’s cheapest labor market.

How to obtain a certificate from ZUS and submit documents to your employer?

One of the main rules of the new system is that work experience in Poland is not automatically recognized. Even if a person worked for years under commission contracts, ran their own business, or worked abroad, these periods will not be counted without documentary proof.

That is why employees must contact ZUS (Zakład Ubezpieczeń Społecznych) on their own and obtain a special certificate of insurance periods. After that, the document must be submitted to the employer along with an application for the recalculation of work experience.

Applications can be submitted via the PUE ZUS online system (now eZUS), which has significantly simplified the process for employees and foreigners who already have a Polish trust profile or bank identification. In many cases, the certificate can be obtained electronically without a personal visit to the office.

Employees should keep several details in mind:

- There is a 24-month deadline for submitting documents from the date the changes take effect;

- The employer is not required to independently search for information about the employee’s prior work history;

- Without official confirmation, additional periods of employment may not be counted;

- Documents regarding work abroad sometimes require translation or additional verification.

Polish HR agencies are already warning that document processing times at ZUS may increase due to the large number of applications. Therefore, employees are advised not to wait until the two-year deadline expires and to submit applications as early as possible, especially in complex cases involving work in different countries or multiple forms of employment.

By the way, we recently reported that Poland is raising minimum wages for foreign and local workers.

How do you obtain a certificate from ZUS and submit the documents to your employer?

One of the main rules of the new system is that work history in Poland is not automatically transferred. Even if a person has worked for years under commission contracts, owned their own business, or worked abroad, these periods will not be taken into account without documentary proof.

That is why employees must contact ZUS (Zakład Ubezpieczeń Społecznych) on their own and obtain a special certificate of insurance periods. After that, the document must be submitted to the employer along with an application for the recalculation of work history.

Applications can be submitted via the PUE ZUS online system (now eZUS), which has significantly simplified the process for employees and foreigners who already have a Polish trust profile or bank identification. In many cases, the certificate can be obtained electronically without a personal visit to the office.

Employees should keep several details in mind:

- There is a 24-month deadline for submitting documents from the date the changes take effect;

- The employer is not required to independently search for information about the employee’s prior work history;

- Without official confirmation, additional periods of employment may not be counted;

- Documents regarding work abroad sometimes require translation or additional verification.

Polish HR agencies are already warning that document processing times at ZUS may increase due to the large number of applications. Therefore, employees are advised not to wait until the two-year deadline expires and to submit applications as early as possible, especially in complex cases involving work in different countries or multiple forms of employment.

Detailed information regarding the EU Blue Map in Poland — is available here.

How will the new work history affect vacation time, benefits, and labor rights?

The new rules could significantly change working conditions for many employees in Poland. The changes will be felt most by people who have worked for years under commission contracts, engaged in entrepreneurial activities, or had non-standard forms of employment. Previously, this experience was often not taken into account when determining employment rights, even if a person had actually worked continuously.

First and foremost, the changes concern paid vacation. In Poland, employees with less than 10 years of service are entitled to 20 days of vacation per year, and after exceeding 10 years of service—26 days.

That is why, for many people, the additional years of service counted can mean nearly a week of extra time off each year.

In addition to vacation time, the new seniority may also affect other labor rights:

- Seniority bonuses;

- Certain bonuses and incentives;

- The length of the notice period upon termination;

- Access to certain internal company programs;

- Additional protections for employees with long service.

These changes are particularly relevant for foreigners who worked in other countries or held multiple forms of employment before moving to Poland. In many cases, it is now possible to officially “add” these years to their Polish work history.

At the same time, lawyers emphasize: the new rules do not mean an automatic increase in salary or pension. They pertain specifically to rights that depend on length of service within the employment relationship. Therefore, employees should carefully review their documents and clarify with their employer in advance which internal payments or bonuses depend on the number of years worked.

What is important for foreigners working in Poland to know?

The new rules are particularly important for foreign workers, as many people in Poland have worked under commission contracts, through self-employment, or have professional experience in several countries. Previously, such periods were often not counted when calculating work history, causing employees to lose some of their labor rights.

Now, foreigners can also submit documents to confirm specific periods of employment. However, the process may be more complicated when it involves work outside of Poland or documents from other countries.

Difficulties most often arise in the following situations:

- Lack of a complete set of documents regarding previous employment;

- Differences between Polish and foreign forms of employment;

- The need for official translations of documents;

- Discrepancies in dates on employment documents;

- Work performed without full payment of social security contributions in previous years.

Lawyers also advise employees to verify whether employers actually paid contributions to ZUS during the period of employment under civil law contracts. This information can be crucial when confirming work history and obtaining new employment rights.

According to data from the Polish Social Insurance Institution (ZUS), over one million foreigners are officially employed in Poland, and the country’s labor market is increasingly attracting specialists from various countries. This is why the new rules could significantly impact employees who have combined different forms of employment throughout their careers or worked in multiple countries.

If you are planning to work abroad in 2026 and want to better understand the rules of employment, work permits, taxes, and basic employee rights, it is worth preparing for the move in advance. Visit World's practical working guide will help you navigate the current requirements, types of work permits, and steps to take upon arrival to avoid common mistakes and feel confident in your new life abroad.

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Products from Visit World for a comfortable trip:

Checklist for obtaining a visa and necessary documents in Poland;

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