Are internships paid in Poland?

Paid internships are common in corporate and IT sectors. 'Staż' under the Labour Code may be unpaid for up to 3 months, but paid internships are increasingly standard.

Students under 26 on an umowa zlecenie are exempt from ZUS social contributions, making them cheap to hire and net-near-gross for the student.

Internships and Student Work in Poland

Paid vs unpaid internships, the student 'umowa zlecenie' ZUS exemption, and where students find work.

Updated 2026-01-20 · 1 min read

Student advantage

Students under 26 on an umowa zlecenie are exempt from ZUS social contributions. This means:

The employer pays less.
The student keeps almost the full gross amount (only 9% health applies).

This makes students attractive hires for service and retail roles.

Finding internships

University career offices (Biuro Karier).
Pracuj.pl (staże section).
Company graduate programmes (corporate, IT, banking).
LinkedIn and specialist IT boards.

Types

Staż (internship) — up to 3 months, can be unpaid; aims to lead to employment.
Praktyki — curriculum-related placements, often unpaid.
Umowa zlecenie — common paid student contract.

Working age

16+ with parental consent and school duties respected.
Under-18s cannot do night work or hazardous tasks.

Tips

Keep a written agreement even for unpaid internships.
Track the skills learned for your CV.

FAQ

Are internships paid in Poland?: Paid internships are common in corporate and IT sectors. 'Staż' under the Labour Code may be unpaid for up to 3 months, but paid internships are increasingly standard.
Do students pay ZUS?: Students under 26 on an umowa zlecenie are exempt from ZUS social contributions, making them cheap to hire and net-near-gross for the student.