Poland is an EU and Schengen member; Ukraine is outside both. In each country the employer applies for your work permit. Ukraine fixes every term in law: permit within 7 working days, D-04 visa (USD 404) within 10, residence card within 15. Poland charges PLN 400 for a permit over 3 months and dropped its labour-market test in June 2025.
Ukraine and Poland side by side
Every line carries its source. Where an official page we could check does not state a figure, the line is left out.
| Point | Ukraine | Poland |
|---|---|---|
| EU and Schengen | Outside the EU and the Schengen area | EU member since 1 May 2004, Schengen since 21 December 2007europa.eu |
| Who applies for the work permit | The Ukrainian employer files with the State Employment Service; decision within 7 working daysLaw 5067-VI, Art. 42-6 | The Polish employer, on form ZC-WWZPP (the former type A), filed only through praca.gov.pl; the voivode issues the permitAct of 20 March 2025, in force 1 June 2025 |
| Labour-market test | The file is the employer’s application, your passport data and the draft contractLaw 5067-VI, Art. 42-2 | Abolished from 1 June 2025; a district may instead list occupations closed to foreignersPoviat Labour Office guidance |
| State fee for the permit | Paid by the employer: 3, 5, 8 or 10 subsistence minimums for a permit of up to 6 months, 1, 2 or 3 yearsLaw 5067-VI, Art. 42-4 | PLN 400 for a permit over 3 months, PLN 200 for under 3 months, for applications from 1 December 2025Lubuskie Voivodeship Office |
| Long-term status | Immigration permit after 5 years of continuous TRP on work or founder grounds; permanent card valid 10 yearsLaw “On Immigration”, Art. 4(2)(11) | EU long-term resident status after 5 years of legal, uninterrupted residenceDirective 2003/109/EC |
Polish facts checked on europa.eu, zielonalinia.gov.pl, praca.gov.pl labour-office guidance and the Lubuskie Voivodeship fee page on 31 October 2026.
What changed in Poland in 2025
Poland rewrote its rules on employing foreigners. The Act of 20 March 2025 came into force on 1 June 2025; since then the work permit application goes only through praca.gov.pl, and from 1 January 2026 the old letter types gave way to named forms, with ZC-WWZPP for a Polish entity that hires a foreigner. The district labour-market test is gone: in its place a district may list occupations closed to foreigners, which the voivode approves (labour office guidance). The fee for applications from 1 December 2025 is PLN 400 for a permit over three months (Lubuskie Voivodeship).
For a Pakistani applicant the starting point is the same as before: a Polish employer willing to file. A recruiter who asks you for the permit fee, or offers a “Schengen work visa” with no employer named, sells something the Polish procedure does not contain.
What the Ukrainian route gives you
- Terms written into law. The employment centre decides within 7 working days (Art. 42-6), the embassy decides the D-04 visa within 10 (Resolution 118), and the residence card is issued within 15 (Resolution 322).
- A permit you can check. Each decision is published within 2 working days (Art. 42-7), so a fake permit shows up before you pay for a ticket. See how a fake work permit looks.
- Known costs on your side. The employer pays the permit fee; you pay the D-04 visa, USD 404, the VFS charge and your document legalisation.
- A path beyond the job. Five years of continuous TRP on work or founder grounds lead to an immigration permit and a 10-year card; your spouse and minor children can join you on family grounds once your TRP is issued.
The full sequence for this route is in Ukraine work visa requirements for Pakistani applicants, and the step order in the Ukraine work visa from Pakistan guide.
Which route fits whom
Ukraine fits when
- a registered Ukrainian employer is ready to file for you
- you want each stage on a statutory clock
- you plan a company: EUR 100,000 in charter capital gives a founder TRP
Poland fits when
- you need residence inside the EU and Schengen
- a Polish employer is ready to file ZC-WWZPP for you
- your occupation is outside your district’s closed list
Questions about Ukraine vs Poland
Is Ukraine or Poland better for a Pakistani worker?
Does Poland still have a labour-market test for foreign workers?
How much is the Poland work permit fee?
Can I apply for a Poland or Ukraine work permit myself?
Which gives permanent residence sooner, Ukraine or Poland?
How do I check a Ukrainian job offer before I pay?
Read next
- Ukraine vs RomaniaRomania’s new single-application platform and where it stands now
- Best Ukrainian routes for Pakistani citizensWork, study, founder and family grounds side by side
- Ukraine visa fees from PakistanD-04 USD 404, VFS charge, MoFA and HEC costs
- Immigration firm and employer reviews: how to checkThe register, the published permit, the contract
Sources
Get a written answer on your own route.
Eligibility assessment, $99: a lawyer-validated note sets out the routes open to you in order, an indicative timeline for each and your first action, within 3 working days. Have a Ukrainian job offer? Employer verification, $199, checks the company behind it.
Last reviewed: 31 October 2026. Facts about other countries are taken from the official pages listed under Sources on that date and can change without notice; Ukrainian terms are statutory maximums. Decisions rest with the authorities of each country. This page is general information; advice on your own case comes from a lawyer under a written engagement.