SZCZECIN, POLAND
Things to know
about Szczecin
Poland's Largest Sea Port!
Szczecin is situated on the two banks of the Oder River in northwest Poland, 40miles (65km) from the Baltic Sea and known for its 19th-century Wały Chrobrego, or Chobry Embankment and the renovated Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle, now a cultural center.
Shipbuilding and shipping are the main occupations. Evidence suggests that the area was first inhabited by seafaring people 2,500 years ago.
Modern development of the port of Szczecin began in 1826 with regular navigation of the Oder. The port grew steadily until World War II, mainly through its proximity to Berlin, 90 miles (145 km) to the southwest. In 1926–27 the channel through the Szczeciński Lagoon to the outport of Świnoujście (Swinemünde) was deepened.
During World War II the port was completely destroyed and the city itself was greatly depopulated. Under Polish administration the port and city were rebuilt.
Szczecin is, with Świnoujście, one of Poland’s largest port complexes, handling roughly one-third of the country’s maritime commercial traffic in the early 21st century.
It is an important port for cargo shipped down the Oder from the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Germany; coal is the major export. Other industries, in addition to shipbuilding, include food processing, metalworking, fertilizer production, and synthetic-textile-machinery manufacturing.
Often - and very understandably - called the city of greenery, Szczecin boasts over 500 hectares of municipal green areas, including 15 parks with a total area of 142 hectares, 90 green squares with a total area of 55.2 hectares, and cemeteries occupying an incredible 193.87 hectaresand that’s not even including the city’s woodlands!
They’re all worth a visit, but if we had to choose a few then Jasne Błonia Square near the Municipal Office and Kasprowicza Park, the largest in the city, are not to be missed.
At the edge of the park, you’ll come to the incredible Różanka botanical garden, with 9,000 fragrant roses of 99 varieties as well as several types of trees and a striking brick bird fountain.
Cultural Centre of Western Poland
With four institutions of higher education, several theatres, a philharmonic orchestra, libraries, and the National Museum located here, Szczecin is very much a cultural centre of western Poland.
It is a picturesque city containing many monuments, parks, and small lakes with the castle of the dukes of Pomerania, built in the Renaissance style, being one of it's more famous attractions having beenreconstructed after incurring heavy damage during World War II.
Szczecin has something for everyone, so whether you’re planning to get active on a summer holiday, put a spring in your step with a romantic rendezvous, or pamper yourself with a leisurely trip, you’ll find plenty of attractions in Szczecin to keep you entertained.
If this is your first trip to Szczecin, make sure you stop by the Old Town, or Stare Miasto. Sadly, much of this area was destroyed during World War II bombings, but like the impressive Altstadt in Dresden, Germany, everything got rebuilt as an exact replica of the original.
Szczecin may be a historic city, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t find seriously modern spots, like the new Hansa Tower.
As the name suggests, this skyscraper, shaped like a sail, also pays tribute to Szczecin’s maritime heritage. Boasting 28 floors (although 3 are underground) the Hansa tower is the tallest building in Szczecin.
After so much sightseeing, it’s time to treat your taste buds. Be sure to try the local speciality – pasztecik (a type of deep-fried pasty or pie) at the cult-status Pasztecik bar in Wojska Polskiego Street, the oldest place selling these delicious treats. You can’t miss its huge red letters!
As for the cultural calendar of events, the most interesting include Oder Days, Sea Days, the Tall Ships Races, St. James’ Fair, the Pyromagic International Fireworks Festival, Spoiwa Kultury (Bonds of Culture), Szczecin Jazz, the Szczecin Music Fest and the Kontrapunkt Review of Small Form Theatres.
How does Poznan Compare?
The average cost of living in Szczecin is €876, which is in the top 38% of the least expensive cities in the world, ranked 5790th out of 9294 in a recent global list and 5th out of 79 in Poland.
The median after-tax salary is approximately €860, which is enough to cover living expenses for 1 months.
Ranked 1608th (TOP 17%) in the list of best places to live in the world and 10th best city to live in Poland.
With an estimated population of around 400K (a 0.25% decline from 2021), Szczecin is the 7th largest city in Poland.
A one bedroom apartment in the City Centre is likely to set you back around €330 per month, while moving outside the centre will save you some money, costing around €260.
Expect to pay double the above for any more than one bedroom and you won't be far off.
Monthly utilities are likely to be around €150-€160 inclusive of Electricity, Hearting, Cooling, Water, Garbage collections etc. for a 85m2 apartment.
Internet costs are approximately €10-15 per month for a healthy service up to 60 Mbps.
On average a single person can spend around €70-€100 a month on groceries which is considered quite affordable when compared to other cities in the world. This will cover all your supermarket needs such as fruit, vegetables, dairy products and drinking water.
City transport in Szczecin is well-developed, modern and inexpensive.
A monthly ticket for all ordinary connections costs approximate PLN 90 (Approx. €20) with petrol prices coming in considerably lower than some regions at around €1 per ltr.
Using taxis in Szczecin is also really cheap! So cheap, in fact, that there is no need for Uber here but if you want to save some money, you can also learn to use the "urban bike" scheme. Using it up to 15 minutes is free of charge, which is enough to get you to many places.
Cost of Living
in Szczecin
Polish income tax law provides that an individual who is considered a Polish tax resident is liable to Polish income tax on their worldwide income.
In these circumstances, the individual is considered to have an unlimited tax liability. Conversely, if an individual is a non-resident for tax purposes of Poland, they are considered to have a limited Polish tax liability.
As such, the individual is only liable to Polish income tax in respect of Polish-sourced income.
An individual is defined as resident of Poland, if at least one below-mentioned conditions is fulfilled:
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the individual has closer personal or economic relations with Poland (centre of vital interests in Poland), OR
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the individual stays on the territory of Poland longer than 183 days in a given fiscal year.
Only one of the above conditions need to be met for an individual to be considered a tax resident of Poland. The official currency of Poland is the Polish zloty (PLN).
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Eligibility to Work in Szczecin
Poland immigration under the category of work is made available to non-EU citizens through five different types of work permits with a duration for which the work permit granted is constant.
Citizens of EU/EEA countries or Switzerland do not need to apply for a visa to enter Poland. They may cross the border on the basis of a valid travel document: an ID card or a passport.
If they are going to stay less than three months, they do not need to register their stay as foreigners but they do have to do it if their stay exceeds three months.
Students from non-EU/EEA member countries should apply for a visa for educational purposes through the Polish consulate or embassy in their home country.
Step 1 – EU/EEA citizens: register your stay in Poland
Citizens of the European Union (EU), of the European Economic Area (EEA) countries or from Switzerland planning to study and stay in Poland for a period exceeding 3 months must register their stay within the first three months of their stay in Poland.
Where to register?
Lubelskie Province Governor’s Office in Lublin
Department for Foreigners
(in Polish: Lubelski Urząd Wojewódzki, Wydział Spraw Obywatelskich i Cudzoziemców, Oddział ds. Cudzoziemców)
ul. Czechowska 15
Lublin
tel.: 81 7424559
Documents required to register the stay
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Application for registering the residence completed in Polish (1 original + 3 photocopies),
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Student status statement (issued by the Dean’s office at your faculty),
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Proof of medical insurance (e.g. European Health Insurance Card – EHIC or other),
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Proof of sufficient financial funds to live in Poland (it may be a certification from the university of origin about the Erasmus grant or a bank statement),
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Photocopy of a valid travel document (e.g. an ID card or a passport) + original document to show for verification).
Fees: free of charge
All documents submitted in foreign languages should be translated into Polish by a sworn translator.
You may access the list of Polish sworn translators at:
https://ms.gov.pl/en/translators/
After the registration the EU/EEA citizens will be given a certificate of registration of residence.
Step 2 – EU/EEA citizens: register your residence
Citizens of EU/EEA and Switzerland are required to register their new place of residence in Lublin within 30 days.
Where to register?
Residents’ Service Centre
(in Polish: Biuro Obsługi Mieszkańców)
20-071 Lublin
ul. Wieniawska 17 (1st floor, desks No 15, 16, 17)
Documents required
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Registration Form (it should be completed and signed by the student and then by the dormitory manager. If a room or a flat is rented instead, the rental agreement is required as well),
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valid ID card or passport,
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Registration of residence of a European Union citizen from the Department for Foreigners (see Step 1).
The five different types of visas, requirements, steps, and benefits to obtain a Poland work permit are elaborated below.
Types of work permit in Poland
If you are a non-EU citizen and wish to work in Poland, you will need a work permit to enter the country.
The validity of a work permit is for three years. The work permit is valid for only one job, and you can use it to perform only those tasks mentioned in your application form. If you are changing careers, you must apply for a new work permit.
Poland offers five work visa types; these include:
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Type A – If you find employment based on an employment contract or civil law contract with an employer with an office registered in Poland. This is the most famous work permit.
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Type B – This work permit is valid if you are a board member residing in Poland for a total period exceeding six months within 12 subsequent months.
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Type C –You can apply for this work permit if you are sent to Poland by a foreign employer for more than 30 days in a calendar year to work for the foreign employer’s subsidiary or branch office.
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Type D – You are eligible for this visa if a foreign employer temporarily sends you to work in export services. The foreign employer must not have a branch or subsidiary in Poland.
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Type E – You can apply for this visa if you take up work-related tasks that do not fall into the above four categories.
Requirements to acquire Poland work permit
The employer must provide the necessary documents to acquire a work permit on behalf of a foreign employee. These documents include:
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A completed application form
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Proof of the paid application fees
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Current records of the employer’s economic activity
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Proof of applicants health insurance
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A deed for the company
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Copies with relevant travel information on the applicant’s passport pages
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A copy of a statement regarding profits or losses sustained by the employer
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Confirmation and evidence of the legal status of the employer from the National Court Register
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A copy of a contract following the service being provided in Poland
Steps to apply for Poland work permit:
The employer has to apply for a work permit on your behalf. Let‘s assume that you have found an employer willing to hire you and that your stay is legalized (either on a visa you have obtained or on a residence permit).
Your potential employer must fill out a work permit application containing the name of the company you are recruiting and your future job description within this company to get a work permit.
If you have succeeded in getting a job offer in Poland, then your employer has to apply for a work permit on your behalf.
Here are a few necessary steps to apply for the work permit:
Step-1: Conducting a Labor Market Test
An employer must conduct a labor market examination before applying for a foreign work visa. This test aims to see if any Polish citizens or other EU citizens are qualified to fill the role. These people take precedence over foreign nationals.
If no qualified job seekers are available, the employer can apply for a work visa on your behalf.
Step-2: The Application Process
The employer must include documents confirming that the following conditions are met with the application:
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Conditions of employment meet all applicable employment regulations, including articles of the Labour Code.
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According to the Voivodeship Office, remuneration should not be 30% lower than the average monthly wage.
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Work permits are issued by a local “voivode” (government land head) and are given for the duration of stay needed to perform the work stated in the declaration of your employer. You need to sign an employment contract with the employer that applied for your permit to make the work permit valid.
Step-3: Issuing the Work Permit
Employees should be informed that their work permits are only valid for employment with the company that applied for them. If they decide to change jobs, their new employer will have to file for further permission.
Your employer is legally obliged to:
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Give you the employment contract in writing
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Provide you with a translation of the employment contract in your preferred language
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Check the validity and make a copy of your residence permit or visa
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Notify social security and health insurance institutions within seven days after the employment contract is signed, which gives you access to free healthcare, sickness leave, and other social benefits.
Benefits of a work permit
Once you get the work permit for Poland, you can:
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Legally work in Poland
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Legalize your stay in the country
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Do the work defined in the work permit
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Sign a work contract with your employer
The processing of the visa should take about 10 to 12 days. Once you have entered Poland on a work permit, you can legally work here.
