IMPORTANT! On January 21, 2024, the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on suspending Poland.Business Harbour. While visas previously issued under the umbrella of the program remain valid, newcomers who could previously benefit from it will now have to apply for a work permit on general terms.

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Despite the suspension of the program, we continue to help IT companies with relocation of specialists to Poland via Employer of Record (EOR) service. EOR ensures fast and 100% compliant relocation and acquisition of work permit with little to no administrative hassle on the employer’s side. Contact us today for a personalized solution.

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What is Poland.Business Harbour?

Poland.Business Harbour is a governmental initiative launched in September 2020 to support IT innovators, entrepreneurs and specialists willing to relocate to the country. The need to make immigration more accessible to highly skilled professionals was spiked by mass protests against controversial results of the presidential election in Belarus in the summer of 2020, followed by a series of repressions, arrests and an outflow of young population to the neighboring countries, including Poland. Many of the newcoming young professionals were able to find local employment opportunities in IT and engineering.

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Since 2020, Poland.Business Harbour has extended its target group and has been helping owners and employers of IT companies from all over the world as well as their family members relocate in a more streamlined way. The platform also offers special funding to startups and provides a range of services to those transferring their IT business to Poland.

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What are the benefits of relocating via Poland.Business Harbour compared to coming with a regular work visa?

‍It is faster and easier. Entrepreneurs and specialists from the target sector can apply for a one-year type D visa with the possibility of further extension. Type D visa grants its owner the right to travel freely within the Schengen area, to take on a hired position or set up a business, and gives access to the Polish healthcare system. For employed professionals, this also means the freedom to change jobs without having to re-apply for a work permit. For companies, it is a way to hire and move the most sought-after talents to Poland without going through complicated bureaucratic procedures and awaiting visa approval for months. Confirmation from local consulates may take just a few days, and it is even speculated that applications filed via Poland.Business Harbour are given priority by the immigration offices.

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How does Acvian help with relocation via Poland.Business Harbour?

Only companies that are officially listed on the platform may relocate specialists via the special sped-up procedure. As an EOR partner, Acvian officially confirms the intent of employment/cooperation and handles further steps to legalize an IT employee in Poland on your behalf within the framework of the program. The complete procedure is the following:

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• We issue an official invitation letter (statement of intent) to your employee.
• The employee submits a visa application at a local consulate.
• The visa is typically granted within a period specified by a local consulate in high-priority mode.
• The employee obtains the visa and relocates to Poland.
• We hire the employee locally on your behalf, taking over all but financial responsibility and handling HR, payroll and compliance matters for the duration of their employment.

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What tasks are covered by Acvian once the employee is onboarded?

• Most importantly, legalization of the employee’s further stay in Poland in cooperation with Poland.Business Harbour;
• drafting, reviewing and approving an employment agreement that is attuned to the local laws and tailored to your needs;
• payroll setup and calculation;
• monthly salary payment and payslip;
• paying out benefits and compensations, reimbursing expenses;
• tax filing;
• legal consultancy for the duration of your relationship with the employee

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You can request a consultation with us to discover more about relocation opportunities with Acvian via Poland.Business Harbour. See also our Employer of Record (EOR) data page for Poland.