Job Discussion Forums

MarkT · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 16 Location: Toronto

Does anyone know how long one can take?

I mean I've been told it can take either one week or up ro one month. I know I have to be patient but does anyone know?

Grrrmachine · Joined: 27 Jul 2005 Posts: 265 Location: Warsaw, Poland

It all depends on where you're from - if you're an EU resident then you dont need a work permit (you are legally obliged to carry a residency card, which shouldnt take more than a month to get.)

If you're from overseas (the States, Canada, Australia) however, I have absolutely no idea.

cezarek · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 149

Grrmachine is right insofar as UK/Eire citizens don't need one. Residence permits for people from those countries take about 2 weeks. Don't bother with any of those companies/people who get them for you for a 'small' fee. They're a hangover from pre-EU days and increasingly desperate. Definitely in the Warsaw office of the government department who issue them, and I suspect in most other large cities they always have someone who speaks English. The paperwork is purely a formality, the form to fill in is easy, and the school will probably help you with it if they're half decent.

If you mean an actual work permit, then they aren't so easily given nowadays, and you have to apply in your home country. Check the Polish Embassy's website there or the MSWiA website here. Many schools pay sallaries (probably illegally) to someone's Polish girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse if they can only find teachers from outside the EU. But if they have to look that far for native speakers then there may be other problems with the school anyway.