Documenting workers through a Polish company
We place workers officially in the destination country through our Polish firm and prepare every document lawful work there requires.
An A1 certificate from a Polish company, for work across Europe
SSI Group prepares the documents that make employment in the European Union official. Our Polish company acts as the contractor, and the worker travels on an A1 certificate and its supporting papers. Germany is the most common destination, but it is not the only one.
Contact usWhat we do
Registration with ZOLL and SOKA BAU
Working in Germany through a Polish firm requires third-country nationals to be registered with ZOLL, and construction companies with SOKA BAU as well. Registration follows once the main set of documents exists.
Legal support
Throughout the engagement we defend both the worker and the employer before the authorities that inspect them.
How posting through a Polish company works
The arrangement runs through our Polish firm. The company acts as the contractor, which is why workers travel from Poland to the destination country on an A1 certificate and its supporting documents.
An A1 certificate is issued by the Polish social insurance authority, ZUS; it is also called a zaświadczenie A1. It confirms that contributions are being paid for the worker in Poland, and it holds good in Poland and across the European Union.
Specimen documents
- The A1 certificate
- PESEL — the identification number
- Tax residence certificate (CFR-1)
- European Health Insurance Card (EKUZ)
- SOKA BAU registration
The documents we produce
- The work permit
- The documents needed to obtain a Polish work visa
- Confirmation that the worker is engaged by the Polish company
- BHP — the certificate of health and safety training
- PESEL — the identification number confirming the worker's registration in Poland
- The tax residence certificate (CFR-1)
- The A1 certificate from the Polish firm
- The European Health Insurance Card (EKUZ)
- ZOLL registration
- SOKA BAU registration (for construction companies)
How the work runs
- 01
We sign the contract with the employer
A Polish company needs a legal basis before it can post anyone, so we sign a contract for works between our Polish company and the employer's. It can be signed online, or the originals exchanged by post.
- 02
We assemble the worker's documents
The work permit, health insurance, the visa and everything else needed to travel to Poland and complete the remaining paperwork in Warsaw.
- 03
The worker collects the originals in Warsaw
To be posted on an A1, the worker comes to our Warsaw office, collects the original documents and opens an account for their wages. Only then can they start work officially.
Why work with us
For the referring agency
More income
You receive €50 a month for every candidate you refer, for as long as they work.
More clients
We place your clients officially in well-paid roles on decent terms. They come away satisfied, they come back, and they recommend you.
A good name
We guarantee social protection for the staff, wages paid in full, and every document prepared in line with the law of the EU country involved.
For the worker
Official employment
We employ under a contract and hand over the full set of documents.
Financial security
Wages are paid officially, including to the worker's own bank card, and health insurance is arranged.
Legal protection
We work with qualified lawyers in EU countries and hold the instruments that reduce a worker's exposure to a minimum.
For the employer
Time saved
We take on the paperwork, the recruitment, the bookkeeping and the tax filings.
Higher margin
Through the difference in taxation between Poland and the destination country, and the capacity to take on more contracts.
Liability lifted
Our legal department is answerable for the worker's documentation. Where it is needed we provide a legal consultation at no charge.
About the company
SSI Group provides official employment services across the European Union. We handle the documents from end to end and provide accounting and legal support alongside them.
- 52
- partner companies across Europe
- 1125
- workers placed officially
Countries our partners work in
- Belgium
- Poland
- Germany
- Spain
- Italy
- France
- the Netherlands
- Latvia
- Lithuania
The company stands behind the quality of its services, their lawfulness and their transparency. One of the aims of our work is the safety of our clients, the growth of their results and the delivery of their plans.
Mission
Lawfully, safely, quickly: to supply skilled workers to as many European companies as possible, so that our partners trade officially and lawfully in Europe.
Values
- Decisions made as a team matter more than any one voice.
- Steady growth produces the better result in the long run.
- Never settle for what has been achieved; concentrate on the best result here and now.
- The safety of our partners and clients always comes first.
Still have questions?
Fill in the form and we will get in touch and answer them.
Get a consultationFrequently asked questions
How is the contract with the employer signed?
Either online, or by exchanging originals in the post. You give us the employer's company details and the place the work will be done, our lawyers draft the contract and send it over electronically. A scan of the signed contract is enough for us to start on the documents.
What does the documentation cost?
The cost is individual: it depends on which documents the worker already holds, on their wage and on their trade. The A1 certificate itself is not for sale — what is paid for is preparing and filing the set of documents. We give an exact figure after the consultation.
Who pays for the documents and the tax?
That depends on what you agree with the employer. Three arrangements are common: the employer pays for everything; the employer pays the tax and the worker pays for the documents; the worker pays for everything. Tax is paid in Poland.
How long do the documents take?
If the worker already holds an open Polish work visa and the other certificates, the A1 takes 7 working days from the application to ZUS. If everything has to be done from scratch, expect around a month and a half.
Does the worker need to be in Poland while the documents are prepared?
No. Once the documents are ready, the worker travels to Warsaw to collect the originals and open an account for their wages.
How can I verify that the documents are genuine?
Only an authorised body can verify a document. To satisfy yourself that the Polish company has engaged the worker and is paying contributions for them, you can ask for the ZUS document confirming the engagement and the contributions.
What guarantees that the worker is paid in full and on time?
There is a signed contract between our company and the employer's, under which the client undertakes to pay for the work and we undertake to pay the workers' wages. If that contract is broken, it can be enforced in court.
Is working on an A1 posting lawful?
Under European agreement, each country may post its workers abroad under a contract for specified works. Whether a particular posting is lawful depends on holding the required documents, observing the law, paying the tax and registering temporary workers with the state systems — which for Germany are ZOLL and SOKA BAU (for construction companies).
Please note
This is addressed to everyone taking work abroad, or preparing the documents for it: choose the company you deal with carefully.
Fraudsters have recently become active who use our licence unlawfully and charge inflated prices for their services.
Check the telephone numbers anyone corresponding with you in our name is using — particularly where a payment is involved. Ring one of the numbers published on this site and confirm that you really are dealing with us.
We would also be grateful to hear of any new case of fraud using our name or our incorporation documents.