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Changing your basis of stay
How to move from a study residence card to a work residence card in Poland
Updated for 2026
A study residence card (karta pobytu) does not turn into a work card on its own. When the purpose of your stay changes – your studies end, or permanent work becomes your main reason to be in Poland – you file a new application (wniosek) for a work card. The old card is not re-issued for the new purpose.
Changing your basis of stay is, in effect, changing your residence status, and there is one main risk here: a gap in legal stay. File the new application too late and you can end up in Poland with no valid basis. Below: when to change your basis, how the procedure works step by step, and where people most often lose their status.
Why a study card cannot simply be reissued
A karta pobytu is always issued for a specific purpose of stay – cel pobytu in Polish. Study and work are two different purposes. So moving from one to the other is not an edit to your existing card. Formally it is a new zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy (temporary residence permit) on the grounds of work, decided by the voivode (wojewoda).
The old study basis does not convert into a work basis. Until you file the new application and receive a decision on it, your status stays tied to study, with all the limits that come with it.
If you are still studying and sorting out your current basis, see our separate guide on the study residence card.
When you need to change your basis
The easiest way to tell it is time to move to a work basis is to look at your own situation.
- Your studies are ending – a thesis defence or the end of your programme – and staying on the study basis is no longer possible.
- You have started permanent work, and work becomes the main purpose of your stay. Formally, the purpose changes only after you receive your diploma.
Step by step: moving from study to work
- Find your grounds for work. Usually this is a concrete job offer and a position for which a permit can be arranged. This determines which type of permit and card suits you.
- Gather your documents. A work card has its own set: an employment contract or its draft, employer details, proof of income and other attachments (załączniki). The exact list depends on your type of permit, so check it in advance.
- File the application (wniosek) before your legal stay ends. This is the key moment: file while your current basis is still valid. Check the exact filing deadlines at the time you apply – they depend on your situation.
- Receive the new card. Once the voivode issues a positive decision, you receive the new work residence card.
Danger zones and what to watch for
There are a few more places where it is easy to lose your status.
The right to work during the waiting period is not the same as the right to stay. While the decision is pending, your legal stay is confirmed first by the electronic confirmation of the filed application (UPO) and, once any formal deficiencies (braki formalne) are corrected, by a zaświadczenie (certificate). But whether you may already work is decided separately and depends on the type of permit. Check this before you start work.
Removal from studies and notifying the voivode. If you are removed from your studies, the study basis falls away, and the voivode usually learns of it. Check the procedure and deadlines for that notification under the current rules – they affect how much time you have left.
Contract type and income. For a work card, the type of contract and the level of income matter. The specific requirements depend on the type of permit, so confirm them for your own situation.
Tie to the employer. A work card is usually tied to a specific employer and position. How to check this and what to do when you change jobs – see our guide on the card’s tie to the employer.
- The new application is filed before your current legal stay ends.
- You have checked whether you may work while the decision is pending.
- The position and employer in the application match your actual job.
- You have accounted for the consequences of removal, if your studies have ended.
What to check when taking a job
- Whether the employer is ready to arrange the work permit and take part in the procedure – you cannot make the switch without this.
- Whether the position in the offer matches the one that will go into the application.
- Whether health insurance is in place from your first day of work.
- Whether there is any gap between study and work that would break your basis.
Special cases for graduates of Polish universities
After receiving a diploma from a Polish university, graduates may have separate, more lenient grounds for staying and moving to work. The exact conditions and deadlines depend on the current law and your situation, so check them in advance – before your studies end – to plan the switch without rushing.
When to get help
The switch becomes risky when time is short or the situation is not standard:
- deadlines are tight and there is a risk of a gap in stay;
- you have been removed from studies and the study basis has already fallen away;
- a previous application was refused.
MigrantExpert will check your grounds to apply, help you gather the documents for the work card and guide the case so you do not lose your status during the switch. If the decision is delayed and time is critical, there is a separate service to speed up the decision. If an application was refused, you can file an appeal against the refusal.
Frequently asked questions
Can you work on a study residence card?
A student’s right to work depends on the form of study and the current rules, so it needs checking in your specific case rather than relying on a general yes or no.
Do you have to wait until your studies end to move to work?
Formally you can change the purpose of stay only after you receive your diploma. It is important to file the application while your current basis is still valid.
What happens if you drop out before filing the new application?
The study basis falls away and you risk being left with no valid basis of stay. It is better to prepare the new application in advance and check the voivode notification deadlines under the current rules.
Does the card change during the switch - a new one or an edit to the old?
A new card is issued for the new basis. The old study card is not reissued for work.
Can you change employer after the switch?
A work card is usually tied to the employer, so changing jobs may require separate steps. First check whether your card is tied to a specific employer.
Reviewed by a MigrantExpert migration specialist. Updated for 2026.
If you need to make the study-to-work switch without a gap in status, discuss your situation with MigrantExpert. A specialist will check the deadlines and help you arrange the work residence card.
