Poland's ZUS sees surge in work‑seniority requests as foreign‑worker registrations climb

New Polish regulations allow periods of work under contracts, self‑employment and agency agreements to be added to an employee’s seniority. The changes apply from 1 January 2026 for the public‑sector workforce and from 1 May 2026 for other employers. By the end of April 2026, the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) received close to 640,000 applications for certificates confirming insurance periods and issued more than one million such documents. Extending seniority can raise annual leave from 20 to 26 days and increase seniority bonuses.

Statistical data for 2026 shows about 2.3 million foreigners residing in Poland, with over 1.3 million registered with ZUS for pension and disability insurance. Ukrainian nationals account for roughly two‑thirds of the insured foreigners, followed by Belarusians. Legal employment of foreigners fell 8 % year‑on‑year and work‑permit issuances reached a seven‑year low, highlighting a tightening labor market despite the growing number of foreign workers covered by ZUS.