Maternity and Parental Leave for Foreign Workers in Poland — Complete Guide
Polish law guarantees maternity and parental leave to every worker legally employed in Poland — regardless of nationality. If you are working under a contract of employment (umowa o pracę) or a civil contract (umowa zlecenia) and paying ZUS contributions, you are entitled to the same rights as Polish citizens.
How Long Is Maternity Leave?
The length of maternity leave depends on how many children are born in one delivery:
- 20 weeks — one child
- 31 weeks — twins
- 33 weeks — triplets
- 35 weeks — quadruplets
- 37 weeks — quintuplets or more
At least 14 weeks must be taken by the mother. The remaining weeks may be transferred to the father.
Maternity Benefit (Zasiłek Macierzyński)
During maternity leave, ZUS (Social Insurance Institution) pays maternity benefit equal to 100% of the benefit calculation base, which is derived from your earnings over the previous 12 months.
Requirements:
- You must be covered by sickness insurance — compulsory under an employment contract, voluntary under a civil contract (opt-in required)
- No waiting period — the benefit is payable from the first day of insurance
Parental Leave (Urlop Rodzicielski)
After maternity leave ends, you are entitled to parental leave:
- 41 weeks — if both parents share the leave (since 2023, each parent has 9 non-transferable weeks)
- 32 weeks — if only one parent takes the leave
Parental leave benefit is paid at 70% of the calculation base. If you apply to combine maternity and parental leave before giving birth, you receive 81.5% for both periods combined.
Paternity Leave (Urlop Ojcowski)
The child's father is entitled to 2 weeks of paternity leave, independent of the mother's leave, with benefit paid at 100%. This must be taken before the child turns 12 months old.
How to Apply
- Notify your employer of the pregnancy and expected delivery date
- After the birth, provide your employer with the child's birth certificate
- Submit a leave application — form Z-3 (employment contract) or Z-3a (civil contract)
- ZUS will pay the benefit directly to you or via your employer
Protection Against Dismissal
Your employer cannot dismiss you during pregnancy or while you are on maternity or parental leave. This protection applies regardless of your nationality, as long as you are legally employed.
Leave and Your Residence Permit
If your Karta Pobytu (residence card) expires during pregnancy or maternity leave, apply to extend your temporary residence permit before the expiry date. A timely application entitles you to remain legally in Poland throughout the processing period, even after the card has expired.
Nexflow Supports You
Nexflow supports foreign temporary workers at every stage of their employment in Poland — including during pregnancy and maternity leave. Contact us if you have questions or need help communicating with ZUS.