Poland: PESEL, UKR status and your own business (JDG)

PESEL and UKR status: what they are and why they matter

PESEL is an eleven-digit personal number that Poland assigns to residents for dealing with the state: taxes, healthcare, banks, school, signing documents. Both adults and children receive the number. Without it, most formalities simply do not move forward, and online services (such as profil zaufany or the mObywatel app) are unavailable.

UKR status is a separate marker in the register for Ukrainian citizens who have made use of temporary protection after the full-scale invasion. It confirms the lawfulness of your stay and opens access to a range of services and to the labour market. A PESEL with UKR status is usually assigned at the municipal office (urząd gminy) at your place of stay.

Beyond legal residence, this number is usually needed to take up official employment, open a bank account, seek medical care, or enrol a child in kindergarten or school. In practice, it is the key to most administrative doors in the country.

Important to remember: the rules on temporary protection and UKR status change from time to time. Always check the specific conditions, deadlines and list of documents against official sources (for example, obywatel.gov.pl) — here we give only a general guide, not legal or immigration advice.

JDG — the simplest form of your own business

When you want to work for yourself — as a tradesperson, translator, IT specialist or owner of a small service business — the most common option in Poland is JDG (jednoosobowa działalność gospodarcza), that is, sole proprietorship. It is a close counterpart of the Ukrainian FOP: you run the business as a natural person, without setting up a separate company, and you are personally liable for its obligations. Compared with a full-fledged company, this form has simpler accounting and less bureaucracy at the start — which is exactly why most self-employed people choose it.

JDG is registered through the state register CEIDG and is usually free of charge. In general terms, the path looks like this:

• have a PESEL and a lawful basis of stay (in particular, UKR status);
• fill in the application to CEIDG online (via profil zaufany) or in person at the office;
• choose your types of activity by PKD codes, the name and the address;
• decide on a form of taxation and, if necessary, register as a VAT payer;
• wait for the entry in the register — after that you are officially an entrepreneur.

Along with registration come obligations towards ZUS (social contributions) and the tax office — you will have to file declarations and pay contributions regularly. Newcomers often benefit from preferential arrangements at the start, but their conditions and amounts change, so do not rely on figures «from memory». That is why, even before registering, it is worth understanding at least in general terms what regular payments await you.

Where to verify and where to look for help

Since tax rates, ZUS contributions and thresholds are updated periodically, check any specific amounts against official sources (biznes.gov.pl, ceidg.gov.pl) as they stand at the moment of registration. In more complex situations — certain types of activity, hired employees, licences — it is worth consulting an accountant (księgowa) or a tax adviser at least once: it saves both time and money, and a Ukrainian-speaking specialist will also explain the nuances in a language you understand.

If the language barrier makes the wording hard to follow, you can find a Ukrainian-speaking accountant or translator in Poland through the [catalogue](/en/catalog) — it is often easier to start a business alongside someone who has already walked this path.

And once your JDG is up and running, Svoyi will help tell the Ukrainian community abroad about your services, so that your first clients find you sooner.