🇵🇱 Job offer letter in Poland: what to include
Updated July 2026 · General information, not legal advice
Poland is a major hiring destination for tech and shared-services teams, and its Labour Code is prescriptive about contract types, probation and notice. A Polish offer letter usually mirrors the contract that must be signed — in writing — before the employee's first day.
Quick facts
- Trial (probation) contract
- Separate contract type, max 3 months
- Notice (indefinite contract)
- 2 weeks (<6 months) · 1 month (6 months–3 years) · 3 months (3+ years)
- Annual leave
- 20 days (under 10 years' seniority) or 26 days
- Contract form
- Written contract required before work starts
- Common contract types
- Trial → fixed-term → indefinite (umowa o pracę)
Contract types matter more than the offer
Polish employment usually starts with a trial-period contract (umowa na okres próbny) of up to three months, followed by a fixed-term or indefinite contract. The offer letter should say which contract type is being offered and what follows the trial — candidates will ask.
- Job title, place of work and working time (full-time = etat)
- Contract type and duration (trial / fixed-term / indefinite)
- Gross monthly salary in PLN (brutto — Polish salaries are always discussed gross vs net)
- Start date
- Leave entitlement: 20 or 26 days depending on total seniority (university studies count toward it)
- Notice terms
Probation in Poland
Probation is not a clause but a separate contract capped at three months. Notice during a trial contract is short — from 3 working days to 2 weeks depending on the trial length. After the trial, the parties sign the 'real' contract; recent rules link the allowed trial length to the intended duration of the follow-up contract, so state your intention in the offer.
Notice periods
For indefinite and fixed-term contracts, statutory notice depends on tenure with the employer: two weeks under six months of service, one month between six months and three years, and three months beyond three years. These are minimums that contracts cannot reduce.
Salary conventions
Always specify brutto (gross) amounts in PLN. The gross-to-net gap in Poland is significant and depends on age, PPK pension participation and tax reliefs — a good offer avoids any ambiguity about which figure is being promised.
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Create a free offer →Frequently asked questions
How long can a probation period be in Poland?
A trial contract lasts at most 3 months. It is a separate contract type, not just a clause in the main contract.
How many vacation days do Polish employees get?
20 working days if total documented seniority is under 10 years, 26 days above that. Periods of education count toward seniority — a master's degree adds 8 years.
Does a Polish employment contract have to be written?
Yes. The contract (or written confirmation of its terms) must be provided before the employee is allowed to start work.
Related guides
This guide is general information for employers, not legal advice. Employment rules change and collective agreements may set different terms — confirm the specifics with local counsel before sending an offer.