The current Polish law allows foreigners to register and conduct any form of business. However, this does not mean that every foreigner can be an entrepreneur in our country. The most important is which country a given person is a citizen of, whether the country belongs to the European Union community or whether the person comes from a country that is not a member of it. The citizens of the European Union countries have the best situation. This does not mean that citizens of Ukraine or Belarus cannot set up and run a business. First of all, for such persons it is necessary to meet the statutory requirements. They are defined in Article 13 of the Act on Freedom of Economic Activity. Read the article till the end and find out if and how a foreigner can set up a business in Poland.
Will a foreigner set up a business in Poland? – Citizens of EU countries
The situation is clearest for foreigners who are citizens of EU member states:
- member states of the European Union,
- belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA)
- belonging to the European Free Trade Association (EFTA),
- another country, based on agreements concluded by that country with the EU and its member states.
Without any obstacles, all these persons may undertake and perform economic activity on the same principles as Polish citizens.
Will a foreigner set up a business in Poland? – Citizens from non-EU countries
In case of persons who are not citizens of the above mentioned countries the situation is more complicated. All persons wishing to establish a business activity are obliged to meet a certain catalog of conditions included in article 13 of the Law on Freedom of Economic Activity. First of all, a foreigner should have one of the documents entitling him to conduct business activity:
- permanent residence permit,
- a residence permit for a long-term EU resident
- a temporary residence permit for the purpose of continuation of already conducted business activity,
- a temporary residence permit granted in connection with: a long-term resident’s EU residence permit; belonging to the family of a foreigner who has a long-term resident’s EU residence permit; a family member residing on the territory of Poland for the purpose of family reunification; undertaking or continuing full-time higher education studies or full-time doctoral studies; remaining in a marriage contracted with a Polish citizen living on the territory of the Republic of Poland.
Apart from that, business activity in Poland can be established by persons who have: a valid Pole’s Card, refugee status, temporary protection, permit for tolerated stay or a residence permit for humanitarian reasons.
