Country comparison · Residence Policy Index

Poland or Hungary: where is life easier for a foreigner?

In short: Hungary is faster and cheaper for a residence permit, Poland is easier without a degree. The Hungarian Card comes in about 60 days, but you need a degree and your status rests on one job. A Polish karta pobytu is open to any job paying at least the minimum wage, but decisions take 341 days on average. In our ranking Hungary is 46th of 97 and Poland 64th.

Poland64 of 97 · score 56 · league CMoving to Poland →Hungary46 of 97 · score 62 · league CMoving to Hungary →

Short answer

Which to choose

Choose Hungary

If you have a university degree and an offer for a job that requires it: there is no salary threshold, a decision takes about 60 days, fees come to about €175 per person over five years, permanent residence follows after 3 years and income tax is a flat 15%. The price is security: status is tied to the employer and the position, there is no grace period to find work, and changing jobs means a new application from scratch.

Choose Poland

If you have no degree or your job does not need one: the minimum wage of 4,806 zloty a month is enough, the labour market test is gone, and your spouse can work without a separate permit. In return, the queue: 341 days on average, up to 633 in Śląskie, complaints about delays do not work until 4 March 2027, and rules for people already living there have been tightened three times in two years with no transition.

Facts side by side

Poland and Hungary side by side

PolandHungary

Ranking64th of 97, score 56, league C46th of 97, score 62, league C

Main routeKarta pobytu based on work: a single residence and work permitHungarian Card for a qualified employee

RequirementsSalary at least the minimum wage, 4,806 zloty a month; no labour market testA university degree and a job that requires it; no salary threshold

Without an employerResidence for running a business, high justification bar; no nomad visaSelf-employment permit, no family in the first year; White Card for remote workers from €3,000 a month, no permanent residence

Timeline by law60 days, but the deadline for voivodes is suspended until 4 March 202770 days

Timeline in practice341 days on average: from 175 in Małopolskie to 633 in ŚląskieAbout 60 days, sometimes 3-4 months

Fees540 zloty (about €126) per cycle, no annual feesAbout €175 per person and €525 for a family of three over five years

Permanent residenceEU long-term resident after 5 years, B1 Polish and 3 years of incomeNational permanent residence after 3 years

Citizenship3 years later, about 8 in total, keeping your previous one8 years, an exam on constitutional basics in Hungarian, dual allowed

If you lose your jobA break of up to 30 days once per permit; notify the voivode within 15 working daysNo grace period; the permit ends with the employment

Taxes12% and 32%, no special regime for newcomersFlat 15%, no special regime for newcomers

Main problemQueues and suspended deadlines, rules tightened with no transitionTight tie to the employer, a closing labour market

Ranking

Seven areas of the ranking

PolandHungaryThin mark: average across 97 countries

Agency processing4567

Pressure on newcomers5362

Status security5044

Access to entry4970

Path to citizenship6360

Family rights7578

Settling in7256

Hungary is stronger in 4 of 7 areas, Poland in 3.

How newcomers are treated

How each country treats newcomers

Poland

The entry bar is low: the labour market test is gone, a spouse works without a separate permit, children attend state school for free, and a bank opens an account on your passport in half an hour to an hour. Delivery is what breaks: 341 days on average, more than 718,000 cases pending, and the legal deadline for voivodes suspended until 4 March 2027, so complaints about delays do not work. Rules for people already living there were tightened three times in two years with no transition, and family reunification can only be requested after 2 years in the country. A separate risk: refusals and revocations based on secret ABW security service files that the foreigner never sees.

Hungary

Hungary lets qualified professionals in but keeps them on a short leash. The procedure is convenient: you apply online through Enter Hungary, appear in person only for biometrics, and the legal deadline is 70 days. But the Hungarian Card is tied to both the employer and the position, there is no grace period after job loss, and no refusal statistics are published. The labour market is closing: since 6 June 2026 no new guest workers are accepted, and the ordinary work permit is reserved for citizens of three countries. Families are better protected: there is no required period of residence before reunification, and children attend kindergarten and school on the same terms as citizens.

Passport

What your passport changes

PolandHungary

US citizensNo visa for up to 90 days in 180; to live there, the same karta pobytu routeNo visa for up to 90 days in 180; to live there, the same Hungarian Card route

Armenian, Georgian and Filipino citizensNo specific rules on the country pageThe only ones who can get the ordinary work-purpose residence permit besides the Hungarian Card

People of Hungarian originNo specific rules on the country pageCitizenship on preferential terms, with no residence requirement

Ukrainian citizensEU temporary protection until 4 March 2028; since 31 July 2026 new applicants must show they left in line with military obligationsEU temporary protection until 4 March 2028; since 31 July 2026 new applicants must show they left in line with military obligations

Russian and Belarusian citizensRussia: visa applications considered only on humanitarian grounds or in Poland's interest, sanctions limits at banks. Belarus: routes open, including a 3-year humanitarian permit with no fee. Both face revocations on ABW groundsNo separate restrictions on the Hungarian Card when we checked on 9 August 2026; the ordinary work permit is closed to them, as to most foreigners

Questions and answers

Questions: Poland or Hungary

Poland or Hungary: where is it easier to get residency?

With a degree and a qualified job, Hungary: no salary threshold and a decision in about 60 days. Without a degree, Poland: the minimum wage of 4,806 zloty a month is enough, but you will wait 341 days on average.

Which is faster, Poland or Hungary?

Hungary: 70 days by law, about 60 in practice, sometimes 3-4 months. Poland's law promises 60 days, but the average is 341, and the legal deadline for voivodes is suspended until 4 March 2027.

Which is cheaper for residency, Poland or Hungary?

Both are inexpensive. Poland charges 540 zloty, about €126, per cycle with no annual fees; Hungary comes to about €175 per person over five years, with a first application online at 26,000 forints.

Where is citizenship faster, Poland or Hungary?

The timelines are close: about 8 years in Poland via EU long-term residence with B1 Polish, and 8 years of living in Hungary with an exam on constitutional basics in Hungarian. Permanent residence comes sooner in Hungary, after 3 years against 5 in Poland. Neither makes you give up your previous citizenship.

Where is status safer if you lose your job?

Slightly safer in Poland: a break of up to 30 days is allowed once per permit if you notify the voivode in time. Hungary has no grace period, and the permit ends with the employment.

Poland or Hungary: which is better for expats?

It depends on your qualifications. Hungary is faster, cheaper and ranks higher on how agencies work and access at entry, but ties your status to one job. Poland is open to any legal work and stronger on settling in, but it is slow and keeps tightening rules for people already there.