Hiring a foreign doctor in Poland requires three separate checks: professional authorisation, lawful residence and the rules governing the work arrangement. A diploma, a decision of the Minister of Health and a residence card answer different questions. None automatically replaces the others. A healthcare provider should complete these checks before the doctor starts treating patients.
This guide is for clinic owners, hospital boards, medical directors and HR teams. It explains how to review the documents and organise the engagement. Licences limited to a specified scope, period and place, and conditional licences, require particular care. The Polish medical licence is known as PWZ. For these licences, legislation and individual decisions may determine the clinical scope, workplace, supervision or permitted contract.
Law stated as at 28 September 2026. This guide concerns employment and medical work in Poland. An individual doctor’s rights must be assessed against their complete documentation.
Hiring a foreign doctor: three independent checks
The first check concerns professional rights. Establish whether the individual may practise medicine in Poland, which activities they may perform and for how long. Also check for any suspension, restriction or decision affecting the licence. The Medical Activity Act separately requires healthcare providers to ensure that authorised professionals deliver their services.
The second check concerns residence. A third-country national needs an appropriate basis for staying in Poland. A PESEL number, registered address or Polish telephone number does not establish this. EU citizens and people covered by special rules require the regime applicable to their circumstances. Consequently, one standard procedure for every foreign national is insufficient.
The third check covers the work arrangement and delivery of care. Identify the basis for labour-market access, the permitted contract, any notification duties and the required supervision. Consider these findings together before deciding when the doctor may start the particular work. Record the outcome in a short verification form, with the date and the person responsible.
Hiring a foreign doctor should not depend solely on a recruitment agency’s assurance. An agency can help collect documents. However, the healthcare provider still needs to establish that the proposed services match the doctor’s actual rights and the conditions of the engagement.
How does the type of PWZ affect hiring a foreign doctor?
Start with the legal basis of the licence. Citizenship and the country that awarded the medical qualification are separate facts. A non-EU citizen may hold a full Polish PWZ. Conversely, an EU passport does not itself secure recognition of a qualification obtained outside the relevant system.
| Doctor’s position | What the provider should check | Main consequence |
|---|---|---|
| PWZ under the general rules | Current validity, qualifications, restrictions and requirements for the position | The permitted arrangement follows from professional rights and the rules governing healthcare and work |
| PWZ for a specified scope, period and place | The Ministry decision, chamber resolution, specified activities and provider, deadlines and supervisor | Special limits apply, together with a fixed-term employment contract and the required supervision |
| Conditional PWZ obtained through a special procedure | The precise legal basis, application date, decisions, transitional rules and language duties | Rules for a different licence cannot simply be imported, and the route cannot be assumed to remain open to new applicants |
| PWZ connected with an internship or training | The purpose, duration and organisation of training, and permitted activities | A training-related licence does not allow unrestricted assignment to any clinical position |
Article 7(2a) and the following provisions of the Medical Professions Act govern the specified-scope, period and place route. The provider issues a certificate describing the proposed employment. It should therefore first identify the actual staffing need, organisational units and ability to provide a supervisor.
Do not list a broad range of procedures in the certificate merely to preserve flexibility. The document should reflect the doctor’s qualifications and the planned work. Our article on conditional PWZ and PWZ for a specified scope, period and place explains the differences between these routes.
Documents to review when hiring a foreign doctor
Begin with proof of identity and professional authorisation. Compare the spelling of the name, including transliterations, the PWZ number and the details in each resolution and decision. Resolve inconsistent spellings before creating accounts in the provider’s systems.
Check the doctor against the medical self-government’s current register and record the verification date. The register is an important source. However, for a special PWZ it does not replace reading the complete decision and resolution. A number displayed in a search result does not explain every condition or the history of the proceedings.
Keep the qualification documents needed for the position: the diploma, specialist qualification evidence, required translations and recognition documents. Avoid collecting the doctor’s entire private archive. The appropriate scope follows from the legal basis, the requirements of the role and the need to demonstrate professional authorisation.
Separately establish whether a foreign specialist title permits the doctor to be presented as a specialist in Poland and counted towards a particular service requirement. Permission to perform specified activities is not a universal confirmation of every qualification. The terms of an NFZ contract can also matter where the provider delivers publicly funded healthcare.
If the candidate is still preparing an application, see our guide to PWZ documents for non-EU medical specialists. The employer should nonetheless record the eventual outcome separately. Proof that an application was submitted does not establish that the relevant rights were granted.
Residence and work: what does a PWZ not replace?
A doctor holding the right to practise under the Medical Professions Act may benefit from a work-permit exemption. Section 1(26) of the Regulation of 20 November 2025 provides for this exemption. Therefore, it is incorrect to assume that every foreign doctor needs to apply for a work permit.
However, the exemption does not legalise the person’s stay. The provider must check the residence document, its validity and any restrictions. Transitional situations need particular attention. These include a pending residence application, the end of previous employment, temporary protection or a change in the basis of residence.
For foreign nationals covered by the legislation on entrusting work to foreigners, the employer must check the required residence document before work starts. The Act also governs retention of copies and data protection, while providing exceptions for certain groups. A general “foreign national” entry in the HR system is insufficient. Identify and document the particular basis that applies.
Hiring a foreign doctor may also involve a separate notification or a review of the conditions for continuing work. This is particularly relevant to special residence statuses. A work-permit exemption and a notification duty are separate issues. Meeting one condition does not automatically settle the others.
In practice, track the PWZ expiry date, the dates arising from residence documents and the contract end date separately. The earliest relevant date may require action. Extending a contract does not extend any administrative authorisation.
Polish language skills and earlier decisions
For the current specified-scope, period and place procedure, Article 7(23) requires a document confirming Polish language proficiency at least at B1 level. The document must fall within the list published by the Minister of Health. A course attendance certificate does not automatically qualify.
For earlier proceedings, establish when the application was submitted, rather than relying only on the issue date of the PWZ card. Article 30 of the amending Act of 15 May 2024 contains transitional rules for specified consents based on applications submitted by 24 October 2024. The deadline under those provisions for submitting language evidence expired on 1 May 2026.
Do not base an engagement on a report that the deadline was to move to 2027. The President vetoed the legislation containing that extension on 11 June 2026. A statement that the Sejm or Senate adopted a bill does not establish a change in the law. For an earlier PWZ, check compliance with the obligation and the current position in the individual case.
Alongside checking the language document, prepare the doctor for the actual work. Establish whether they understand local procedures, clinical record-keeping and communication with patients. An onboarding discussion and training are useful. However, they do not replace the required official evidence.
Hiring a foreign doctor: employment or a B2B contract?
First select a form of engagement permitted for the particular PWZ. For a licence limited to a specified scope, period and place, Article 7(2f) requires a fixed-term employment contract. Its duration cannot exceed the validity of that right. The provision excludes the application of Article 25¹ of the Labour Code in this situation.
Consequently, a standard B2B contract does not suit every route. A CEIDG business registration, invoices and personal insurance do not remove a statutory employment requirement. For a doctor with a full PWZ, different arrangements may be considered. Even then, the provider must examine how the work will actually be performed and the conditions for running a professional practice.
The contract should clearly define the services, workplace, remuneration, organisation of time, supervision and duty to report changes in professional rights. Align it with the decision and the provider’s actual operations. A clause making the doctor “responsible for all formalities” does not replace the employer’s checks.
Also review the rules on a written contract and its language version. If the doctor does not speak Polish, the applicable legislation may require the employer to present a version they understand before signature. Where the contract is drawn up in a foreign language, the Act provides for retention of a Polish translation prepared by a sworn translator.
The ZUS social-insurance assessment is separate from professional authorisation. A valid PWZ does not mean that every arrangement for paying additional shifts is correctly treated for contributions. HR and the medical director should each sign off the matters within their responsibility.
Supervision, insurance and the first clinical shift
Under the Article 7(2a) route, the doctor provides services under a supervisor for one year. The provider’s manager appoints a doctor holding a second-degree specialisation or specialist title in the relevant field. Naming a supervisor in the certificate does not, by itself, deliver actual supervision.
Plan the supervisor’s availability, consultation of difficult cases and cover during absence. The shift arrangements must make compliance possible. If supervision cannot be provided at the planned time, change the working arrangements. A later signature is not an adequate substitute.
Before the first shift, also verify the occupational health examinations and health-and-safety training required for the arrangement. Organise access to clinical records, the practice management system and electronic tools. IT permissions should match the assigned tasks, and individual accounts should identify who made each record entry.
Review insurance separately for the provider and, where applicable, the doctor operating a professional practice. The policy scope, exclusions and period of cover must fit the activity. Professional indemnity insurance does not authorise work beyond the PWZ or guarantee cover for every patient claim.
Deadlines, changing providers and a disputed PWZ
Hiring a foreign doctor safely requires a calendar of relevant changes. Under the specified route, the doctor applies to the regional medical council within six months of the Ministry decision. This is different from the licence’s validity period. It should also be distinguished from the time allowed for the chamber to determine the matter.
The Act provides a special mechanism where the council does not grant the PWZ within the statutory period or refuses to grant it. Subject to its conditions, Article 7(21) permits practice on the basis of the Ministry decision until the proceedings are finally concluded. However, Article 7(24) excludes that mechanism where the applicant has not submitted the required language document. Transitional provisions can affect earlier cases.
Therefore, neither a chamber refusal nor possession of a Ministry decision alone answers whether the doctor can work. Review the procedural history, dates, documents and any court rulings. Nor should the provider assume that filing any challenge automatically suspended the effects of a resolution.
Moving the doctor to another provider, a different group company or a new location may require changes to the authorisation documents. In particular, shared ownership does not remove a workplace restriction. Check the appropriate procedure before approving a new rota.
For the rights referred to in Article 7(2e) and (13), the combined five-year limit in paragraph 18b also matters. A further decision does not necessarily start a fresh five-year period. A longer-term engagement should therefore include an early review of the route to full PWZ.
An onboarding process for the healthcare provider
Separate recruitment, legal verification and authorisation to begin clinical work. During recruitment, the parties can agree the proposed arrangement and help prepare documents. Clinical services should start only after the required conditions have been confirmed.
Appoint a coordinator to bring together the HR and medical director’s findings. HR checks residence documents, the contract and registrations or notifications. The medical lead reviews clinical scope, qualifications, supervision and organisation of care. In a difficult case, a lawyer should resolve the specific inconsistencies rather than confirm readiness from a list of attachments alone.
Also allocate responsibility for monitoring later events: a lost document, an amended decision, disciplinary proceedings, departure from Poland or termination of the engagement. The internal procedure should identify where the doctor reports changes and who decides whether the rota needs adjustment. Not every update means an immediate prohibition on work, but each material change needs assessment.
Keep the documents accessible only to authorised personnel. Do not circulate full residence documents to every department manager. A unit manager principally needs to know the permitted duties, supervision arrangements and deadlines affecting the team.
Examples and common errors when hiring a foreign doctor
Hypothetical example: two companies in one group. A decision specifies work for one provider, while the owner plans extra shifts in a second company. Common management does not remove the restriction on the place of employment. Review the decision and the proper amendment procedure before expanding the engagement.
Hypothetical example: a specialist offered B2B terms. The candidate holds a PWZ for a specified scope, period and place. The provider proposes invoiced shifts because it uses that contract for other doctors. However, the special statutory rules require an employment contract. Resolve this issue before clinical work starts.
Hypothetical example: an older PWZ card. The doctor presents a card showing a future expiry date. However, the file contains no evidence of compliance with a transitional language obligation. The provider should establish the current validity of the right. The printed date does not complete the check.
Other recurring errors include confusing a diploma with PWZ, overlooking limits in a decision and providing supervision only on paper. Copying general assurances into a contract without reviewing the documents is also risky. A proper review identifies specific gaps and the order in which they should be resolved.
Hiring a foreign doctor: checklist before the first day
- Confirm identity, the PWZ number and consistency across documents.
- Read the legal basis, clinical scope, workplace and validity period of the authorisation.
- Check the current register and documents concerning restrictions or a pending dispute.
- Verify specialist qualifications and the requirements for the services actually assigned.
- Establish the current residence basis, access to work and any notification duties.
- Check the applicable language requirement, application date and transitional compliance.
- Select a permitted contract and the necessary language versions.
- Arrange supervision, examinations, training, system access and data protection.
- Review indemnity cover and liability arrangements.
- Record the clinical start date, the people approving it and the next review dates.
The checklist supports a decision; it does not replace legal assessment. If a condition cannot be verified, record the gap and who must clarify it. A promise to supply a document later is not confirmation that the condition has been met.
Frequently asked questions from employers
Does hiring a foreign doctor always require a work permit?
No. Doctors holding PWZ under the Medical Professions Act benefit from the exemption in the regulation. Residence and the remaining conditions for entrusting work must still be checked. A different status or additional professional role may need a separate assessment.
Is a Ministry of Health decision enough to start work?
The procedural stage matters. The special mechanism in Article 7(21) requires the statutory conditions to be met. Language requirements, transitional rules and the scope of the decision also affect the answer.
Can a contract expand the scope of PWZ?
No. A contract, a manager’s instruction or a patient’s consent cannot expand professional rights. Assigned duties must remain within the current authorisation. The provider should reflect that limit in the rota and information given to patients.
How often should documents be checked again?
There is no single statutory review frequency for the whole file. Tie reviews to document expiry, a change in role or workplace and information about a new decision. The schedule should reflect the actual risks of the engagement.
Legal sources and support for providers
The principal sources for hiring a foreign doctor are:
- Medical Professions Act — current consolidated material in the Sejm’s ISAP database, particularly Article 7.
- Medical Activity Act — text and subsequent amendments in ISAP, including requirements for providers and professional practices.
- Act on the conditions for entrusting work to foreigners, particularly Articles 3–5a.
- Regulation of 20 November 2025, Journal of Laws item 1620, section 1(26).
- Amending Act of 15 May 2024, Journal of Laws item 854, Article 30 and transitional provisions.
- Presidential Chancellery statement of 11 June 2026 confirming the veto of legislation containing the language-deadline extension.
- Labour Code — consolidated text published in September 2026.
Our firm assists doctors and healthcare providers in Poland with PWZ issues, employment documents and working arrangements. If you are hiring a foreign doctor, describe the situation through our contact form. Initially, the type of provider, the type of PWZ and the proposed contract are enough. Send documents containing personal data only through an agreed channel.
Featured photograph (illustrative): Jacek Halicki, 2023 Stetoskop, Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and cropped under the same licence.
