Poland proposes new internship laws and minimum wage protections

The third version of a draft bill regarding internships has been published by the Government Legislation Centre (RCL). The proposed legislation aims to increase legal certainty for small and medium-sized enterprises while preventing unfair competition caused by unpaid or low-paid labor.

Key provisions include requiring internships to be conducted under a fixed-term employment contract, with a maximum duration of six months. Interns will be entitled to a minimum monthly remuneration set at 65 percent of the national minimum wage. For minor interns, the monthly benefit is proposed to increase from 250 PLN to 500 PLN, while employer subsidies from the Labor Fund would rise from 250 PLN to 750 PLN.

The draft also introduces strict limits on the number of interns an employer can take based on their total workforce size and prohibits employers from requiring prior professional experience in the specific field. To ensure compliance, the bill expands the list of offenses, with potential fines for organizers ranging from 2,000 PLN to 60,000 PLN.