How long can I stay and work in Poland after completing my Master's degree, and what is the duration of the temporary residence permit for job search?

Nine months is a hard, non-renewable window, so the practical question is less about how long you can stay and more about how quickly you can convert that time into a real job offer.

How The Nine-Month Graduate Permit Works

After completing a Master's degree in Poland, you can apply once for a temporary residence permit specifically for graduates, granted for 9 months. You do not need a job offer in hand to apply, since job searching itself is one of the permit's stated purposes, but you do need to apply while legally staying in Poland and meet requirements including health insurance, accommodation, and sufficient funds. Separately, if your Master's was a full-time program at a Polish university, you get full access to the Polish labour market on graduation, meaning you can work without needing a distinct work permit at all, which is a meaningful advantage over many other European countries.

What Changed In April 2026

Since April 27, 2026, applications for this graduate residence permit are submitted electronically through Poland's MOS system, the Case Handling Module, rather than through the older paper-based process. Once you find a job during your 9-month window, you switch to an appropriate longer-term residence basis, typically a temporary residence and work permit tied to your employer, before the graduate permit expires. The 9-month permit itself cannot simply be extended for another 9 months if you have not yet found work.

This Information Is Also Available On

Poland's Office for Foreigners (Urzad do Spraw Cudzoziemcow), and MOS, the Case Handling Module used for applying to national residence procedures.

My Advice

Apply for the graduate residence permit as soon as you finish your degree rather than waiting, since it is a one-time, non-renewable window and every week you delay applying is a week less of active job-search runway. Start building employer contacts in your final semester so you are not starting your job search from zero once the 9-month clock begins.