Staż From the Labour Office in Poland: 2,854 zł Stipend
Short answer: A staż is a 3 to 6 month traineeship for registered unemployed people, without an employment contract. The labour office pays a stipend of 160% of the benefit, 2,854.30 zł since 1 June 2026, and the host pays no wages.
A "staż" is a paid traineeship arranged by a Polish labour office (urząd pracy). It is not a job with an employment contract, and it is not the same as a student internship. This guide covers what the official labour-market portal says about it as of 19 October 2026.
What a staż is
Under the 2025 Act on the labour market and employment services, a staż means that an unemployed person gains knowledge and skills by doing tasks at a workplace, without entering an employment relationship with the employer. The official wording is that there is no contract of employment between you and the organisation.
Instead, three parties sign an agreement: the labour office, the organisation that hosts you (the "organizator stażu") and you. The host writes a programme of tasks. The Warsaw labour office says the programme should take into account your education, skills and health.
* Photos: Warsaw labour office, panoramio contributor, CC BY 3.0; Mońki labour office, Henryk Borawski, CC BY 3.0, both via Wikimedia Commons.
How much you are paid
You do not get a salary from the host. The labour office pays a stipend (stypendium stażowe) of 160% of the basic unemployment benefit. The rates on the official labour-market portal, valid from 1 June 2026, are:
- Basic unemployment benefit (100%): 1,783.90 zł for the first 90 days, 1,400.90 zł afterwards
- Stipend during a staż (160%): 2,854.30 zł
- Supplement to the staż stipend (20% of the benefit): 356.80 zł
The portal also says the labour office pays pension and disability contributions on stipends (27.52% in total), plus an accident-insurance contribution of 0.67% for stipends during training or a staż. The Warsaw office states that the stipend for agreements signed from 1 June 2025 is 160% of the benefit.
How long it lasts and time off
The Warsaw labour office states that a staż for an unemployed person lasts from 3 to 6 months. You are entitled to two days off for every 30 calendar days of the staż, and the stipend is paid for those days. For a partial month the days off are worked out proportionally and rounded up.
Before you start, you need a current medical certificate that says you can do the work. The host must pay for the medical exam. At the end, the host gives you a written opinion that lists the tasks you did and the skills you gained.
Who can get one
A staż is for people registered as unemployed at a labour office. Registration depends on your legal status and right to work in Poland, so a foreigner should ask the office before assuming anything. The Warsaw office has a dedicated desk for foreigners (Dział Obsługi i Aktywizacji Cudzoziemców, room 133), and in its 2026 programme it listed migrants as one of the groups in a difficult labour-market position, with a minimum 3-month staż and a requirement of 90 days of employment on an employment contract afterwards. That programme has ended, and its rules do not apply to every staż.
Places are limited. Offices open application rounds for hosts at set dates, and money comes from the EU fund (EFS+) or the Minister's reserve. For example, the Bełchatów office listed rounds in 2026 from 26 January and in July and August, so check your own office's calendar.
What employers get
The host does not pay wages. The Fundusz Pracy list includes a bonus of 536.70 zł for the host when the staż is completed by an unemployed person. Hosts must also cover the medical exam.
Steps
1. Register as unemployed at the labour office for your place of residence, if you qualify. 2. Agree an individual action plan with an employment adviser and give a bank account number. 3. Ask whether staż places are open and what the host needs to offer. 4. Get the medical certificate before you start. 5. Sign the three-party agreement and keep the programme of tasks.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the staż stipend in 2026?
The official labour-market portal lists 2,854.30 zł for a staż, which is 160% of the basic unemployment benefit, valid from 1 June 2026. The 160% rule applies to agreements signed from 1 June 2025.
How long does a staż last?
Three to six months for an unemployed person, according to the Warsaw labour office. You get two days off per 30 calendar days, and the stipend is paid for them.
Is a staż an employment contract?
No. The law describes it as working at a workplace without an employment relationship. The terms are in a three-party agreement between you, the host and the labour office.
Can a foreigner do a staż?
Only if the labour office registers you as unemployed, which depends on your status in Poland. Ask the office directly. Warsaw has a desk for foreigners.
