Hello friends! Vitaliy here. I’ve been living and doing business in Poland for 8 years now, and we’re continuing the story about inspections on the farm. You asked for thumbs up — thanks for your feedback! And we’re sharing useful content. So, how did my inspection story in Poland end? The inspection lasted one and a half months, I personally visited the border service three times, and I was asked to come to the tax office for personal income tax.
Overall, there were certain violations, related both to conscious and unconscious decisions made by the company’s manager. But nevertheless, it was an amazing experience, and for all our future clients, we will strongly recommend following all the advice we give them after registering a company in Poland. These are tips based on others’ mistakes and fines.
Why is it important to follow the law?
Please do these things right away, because later it will be too late. So, I had a series of both pleasant and difficult conversations with border service inspectors in Poland, and we put together a list for you — the three most common mistakes entrepreneurs make in Poland, for which they get fined.
No matter what arguments you make, inspectors often firmly say, “We have the law.” This means that if there is a violation, the official conducting the inspection will have to issue a fine.
Taxes and fines in Poland
Fines in Poland can range, for example, from 100 PLN to 3000 PLN, depending on various factors, including your cooperation with the inspector. If you are willing to cooperate and tell the truth, it can affect the size of the fine.
Before sharing the list of these common mistakes, I’ll say two things. First, like and subscribe to our channel because this is truly unique content I prepared after experiencing more than one stressful situation. Second, remember that whatever information you search for online, the inspecting authority — the inspector checking you — is always right.
Mistake 1: Unofficial employment
The first mistake is that you didn’t officially employ the person. This means you didn’t obtain a work permit. This is a serious violation, and as the inspector told me, the fine for this can be from 1000 PLN up to 30,000 PLN.
You can fall into this trap for different reasons. For example, you might have a work permit, but in reality the employee works more hours unofficially than allowed by the permit.
Mistake 2: Failure to notify about the start of work
The second mistake is that you got a work permit but didn’t notify the government agency that the employee started working. According to Polish law, the notification must be made within 7 days.
This is important because many of these requirements are clearly stated in the documents. So please don’t be lazy — read everything written on your permit.
Mistake 3: Late salary payments
The third and one of the most common mistakes is paying salary late. By law, salary must be paid by the 10th day of the following month.
This is especially important if it concerns work under a civil contract (umowa zlecenie). If salary is paid late, the fine will be from 1000 PLN and up.
Make sure you have a clear calendar for submitting reports and making ZUS and salary payments.
How to avoid inspections?
In Poland, inspections are not scary if your business is honest. If you do not violate laws and do not falsify documents, even if you get fined, your explanations may be accepted.
The main thing is your willingness to cooperate, show documents, and explain what happened.
Conclusion
Inspections in Poland are an important but not deadly process. In our practice, some of our clients requested audits of their businesses because they had difficulties communicating with their accountant.
If you need consultation or help, contact us — we are ready to help you understand and avoid mistakes. Overall, business in Poland is an opportunity, but only if you know your rights and responsibilities well.
Thanks for watching, please like and subscribe to our channel. We wish you safe and error-free business in Poland!
