How to register at a labour office in Poland

In short

In Poland you register at the district labour office (powiatowy urząd pracy, PUP) for the place where you actually live, either in person or online at praca.gov.pl, signing with a trusted profile (profil zaufany), an e-ID signature or a qualified electronic signature. You need an identity document and papers on your education and employment; foreigners also need a document confirming their right to stay. When you register online, your unemployed status starts on the day you submit a complete application.

Who can register and at which office

Since 1 June 2025 registration has been governed by the Act of 20 March 2025 on the labour market and employment services. Registering is voluntary and there is no deadline: you can do it at any time after losing a job or when you start looking for one.

The competent office is the district labour office for the place where you actually live. Your registered address (meldunek) is not what counts. You cannot be registered at two offices at the same time.

The office registers people in one of two statuses. An unemployed person (osoba bezrobotna) does not work, is ready to take up work and has no regular income. A jobseeker (osoba poszukująca pracy) may, for example, be employed and want to change jobs. You cannot hold both statuses at once.

Step by step

Find the district labour office for your place of residence. Addresses are listed on praca.gov.pl.
Collect the documents listed below. For online registration, prepare scans or clear photos.
Choose how to register: online at praca.gov.pl or in person at the office.
Online, fill in the electronic application, attach the scans and sign it with a trusted profile, an e-ID signature or a qualified electronic signature. A trusted profile requires a PESEL number.
In person, you confirm your data with your own signature and make the required statements in front of an office employee.
Make the statements: you are able and ready to work full time (at least half time if you have a disability), you have no regular income, and you know the conditions for keeping your status.
Note the date of registration and your office's contact details. The office sets the dates of later visits.

If you register in person, your status starts on the day you report to the office and confirm your data. Online, it starts on the day you submit a complete electronic application, so attach every document straight away.

Documents to prepare

An identity document: an ID card or a passport.
Proof of education and qualifications: school certificates, diplomas, course certificates.
Employment certificates (świadectwa pracy) and other proof of periods of work.
A disability certificate, if you have one.
For foreigners: a document confirming the right to stay, such as a residence card or a decision.

Missing an employment certificate from a former employer? We explain what the Polish employment certificate (świadectwo pracy) is and how to get a copy. The state archives and ZUS can help you find out where a closed company's records went.

What registration gives you and what to keep in mind

As a registered unemployed person you are covered by health insurance and can use job offers, training, internships and help from a career adviser. Whether you get unemployment benefit depends, among other things, on how long you worked before registering. The office will explain your case.

The office may prepare an individual action plan with you, a list of steps meant to help you back into work. Keep to the appointment dates: missing one without a good reason can cost you your status.

A good CV speeds up every later step, from the meeting with an adviser to the first offer. If you have a longer break behind you, read how to explain a gap in employment, and for the basics see our guide on how to write a CV.

Common pitfalls

Registering by your meldunek address instead of where you live. The office may send you to another one.
An online application without all the scans. Your status starts only once the application is complete.
Working without telling the office. Taking up a job, even a short one, changes your status and must be reported.
Mixing up contract types. Whether earlier work was an employment contract, a contract of mandate or self-employment matters to the office. See types of employment contracts in Poland.

Ready-to-copy template

Copy the list and tick it off before your visit or before sending the online application.

Checklist for registering at a labour office

Registering at a district labour office (PUP): checklist

[ ] ID card or passport
[ ] School certificate or diploma
[ ] Course and training certificates
[ ] Employment certificates (świadectwa pracy) from every employment contract
[ ] Contracts or certificates for other paid work
[ ] Disability certificate (if applicable)
[ ] Residence card or other residence document (foreigners)
[ ] Bank account number and current phone number
[ ] Trusted profile or e-ID (online registration)
[ ] An up-to-date CV as a PDF for the career adviser

Frequently asked questions

Can I register at a Polish labour office online?

Yes. You fill in the application at praca.gov.pl, attach scans of your documents and sign it with a trusted profile, an e-ID signature or a qualified electronic signature. Your status starts on the day you submit a complete application.

Which labour office should I register at?

The district labour office for the place where you actually live. Your registered address is not decisive.

Can foreigners register at a labour office in Poland?

Yes, if they meet the conditions, including a legal right to stay. They add a document confirming it, such as a residence card or a decision.

Is there a deadline for registering after losing a job?

The law sets no deadline. You can register at any time, but the rights linked to the status, such as health insurance, start only on the day of registration.