Work / Paramedic salary in Poland [69]

Indeed. It would be downright suicidal. You would spend a lot of time running from store to store comparing prices on potatoes and cabbage. And have constant heartburn because of the dreaded nostrification process.

Work / Paramedic salary in Poland [69]

If you're talking about a career, you should know that wages in anything related to health care are very, very low in Poland. As for tutoring or lecturing, those are also paid very low. And getting qualifications from abroad recognized in Poland is a horrendous and drawn out process. What exactly are you trying to do?

Work / Paramedic salary in Poland [69]

About 3100 PLN a month. As for raises, they demand a 1600 PLN raise. The government has proposed less, with a 400 PLN raise this year, and another 400 PLN raise next year. The paramedics are far from happy about that.

Work / Relocate to Lodz Poland [30]


And airfare and other travel expenses, and visa fees, and the fees for his residency permit. All of which have to be covered by his earnings.


He's in the workforce now, not a student, so he does indeed have significant responsibilities, all the more so if he is going to be living abroad. Not all young workers want to live like backpackers. flitting from place to place on a shoestring budget without a care in the world. Many have plans to get married, have kids and get a place of their own, or to further their own education. Or to send money back home to support their families, or, as is often the case, to pay debts. Saving money for achieve those goals is a high priority for them.

I think you are failing to understand the difference between young people from rich Western countries, who can afford to goof around, and those from less privileged backgrounds.

Work / Relocate to Lodz Poland [30]

@istannbullu34

And then there are non-regular expenses and the cost of relocation to take into account, as well.

Work / Need Advice on visa interview at Polish embassy [11]

@khan001

I don't know what kind of advice you want, beyond being honest and open and answering all of the questions they ask truthfully and fully. They can ask all sorts of questions to determine your intention to leave. It's impossible to predict what questions they will ask. If they are satisfied with your answers, fine. If not, or they get the impression that you are being less than completely honest and forthright, then yes, they can deny your request for a visa.

If you have something to hide, then perhaps it would be best not to waste your money on a visa application. They are very good at their job, and will know that you are not being forthright.

Work / Need Advice on visa interview at Polish embassy [11]

@khan001

Yes, indeed, if that is inconsistent with the job you have applied for. For example, it is going to raise eyebrows if you have been hired for a senior supervisory or managerial position but have only two years of work experience. They will want a good explanation for that.

Work / Need Advice on visa interview at Polish embassy [11]

@khan001

Any question they want to determine that your stated reason for requesting a visa is genuine and that you intend to leave the country when your visa is up, as well as questions about your plans in general.

If there are discrepancies in your documents and application, they will ask questions about that, as well as questions about your qualifications.

Every interview is different. Just like every interviewee is different.

Really, they can ask anything. So it's not something you can prepare for, or should. Just be honest and answer the questions in full. If they think you are being evasive or are hiding something, they can deny your application.

Real Estate / The coming Real estate correction in Poland. [20]


I think many more are interested in moving further westward, and are using Poland as a jumping point.

Law / Last will in Poland - (can a stranger inherit everything?) [40]

@Adze86

Really, no one on this forum is going to be able to answer your questions to your satisfaction. That is what your attorney is for. If your looking for free legal advice, remember that it is worth every penny you pay for it. Which is nothing at all.

Just relax and leave it in the hands of the court and your attorneys. There's really nothing else you can do. And, like I said, ditch the acrimony and drama. It might play well on TV, but it is strongly frowned upon in court, especially in civil law proceedings.

Real Estate / The coming Real estate correction in Poland. [20]


"In 2015, the Wroclaw District Employment Agency alone received 36 thousand applications from employers (99% of which concerned Ukrainian nationals) who sought to employ foreign professionals using the simplified procedure. The procedure applies to the citizens of the following six countries: Armenia, Belarus., Georgia, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine, who are legally eligible to work in Poland for 6 months over a period of 12 consecutive months without the necessity to obtain a work permit," says Maciej Sałdacz, Deputy Marketing Head at the District Labour Office in Wroclaw."

So the 100,000 figure is not completely implausible due to the uptick in Ukrainian migration over the past few years. Also more plausible if the "District Labor Office" in Wrocław covers a larger area than just the city itself. And very plausible if it covers the whole województwo.

That's 100,000 Ukrainians working in the city during the course of the year, not at any one time. By far the bulk are temporary or seasonal laborers who work six months out of the year or less, as they are allowed to. I suspect that many of them are provided room and board outside of the city by their employers, and driven to the work site every day. A lot of the rest live in workers' hostels. There was one where I lived in Wrocław and I think most of the residents there were Ukrainians.

This does not translate to 100,000 immigrants, or 100,000 potential home buyers, or as you note, 100,000 happy Biedronka shoppers. And certainly not 100,000 Ukrainians who call Wrocław home.

They also keep to themselves and do not mingle. They don't have the time for that, and they are focused on earning and saving money to take back home in a short time.

Law / Last will in Poland - (can a stranger inherit everything?) [40]

Here's a wikipedia article that explains how it works: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forced_heirship

Law / Last will in Poland - (can a stranger inherit everything?) [40]

@adze1986

No. By law, the estate is divided into two portions, the reserved portion, which is distributed among decedents in accordance with a legal formula, and the free portion, which is distributed according to the will. The court is responsible for diving up the assets accordingly, and everyone gets their due only at the end of the proceedings. She will owe your partner nothing from her portion, and vice versa.

Like I said before, inheritance in civil law is totally different than inheritance in common law.

Again, hire a good lawyer and let them do their job. They know what to do.

Work / Relocate to Lodz Poland [30]


That won't last long. You'll get tired of the monk's life very quickly, and cut back on your savings just to keep your sanity. You will have no choice but to buy a good set of winter clothing. It does get pretty cold in Poland during the winter for a good part of the year, so having quality winter clothing is a good investment. And winter shoes, as well.

I highly doubt that you will save 1300 PLN a month. Even half that would require discipline.

Work / Relocate to Lodz Poland [30]

A studio apartment will cost you about 1500 PLN a month all inclusive (rent, administration fees, and all utilities except phone/internet.TV). A one-bedroom apartment will cost about 2000 PLN.

Food and regular household supplies and expenses will cost you about 1000 to 1500 PLN a month. Less if you cook and eat all meals at home using cheap local ingredients, and more if you eat, drink or snack away from home or prefer foods with more expensive or non-local ingredients.

Monthly public transportation pass will cost on the order of 100 PLN.

Don't forget to budget for clothing and other occasional purchases. And for entertainment, recreation and travel.

Also, don't forget to factor in the combined and total cost of your relocation (tickets, visas and residence permit).

You can do it if you are you are careful and frugal, and you avoid alcohol, tobacco and girls. It won't be the high life, for sure, but you won't starve, at least. Serious savings are, of course, out of the question.

Work / Relocate to Lodz Poland [30]


Then you are probably better off in Egypt than you would be in Poland. Accommodation and food are going to cost you more than the extra wages you will be making, and then there are your relocation expenses to take into account. It's not worth giving up your home court advantage for.

Law / Last will in Poland - (can a stranger inherit everything?) [40]


Yes. Consulting a lawyer there would be necessary in a dispute like this. In the US, inheritance is a state matter, and laws differ from state to state.

Generally, though, US courts recognize foreign wills as valid and binding except under certain uncommon circumstances.

Law / Last will in Poland - (can a stranger inherit everything?) [40]


Indeed. Under the common law system, she could well end up without even a single penny.

USA, Canada / US short-term business visa for Polish citizen [2]

That would be a temporary employment (H1) visa. You cannot work on a visitor or business (B1) visa, and what you are proposing to do is considered work.

There is no need for a visa expert to help you. The embassy will give you a list of the documents required, and the rest of the process is rather straightforward as long as all your documents are in order.

Law / Last will in Poland - (can a stranger inherit everything?) [40]


Basically, that's it. You have to have legal grounds to contest a will. You can't just contest it because you feel it is "unfair". Your wife will get her portion of the reserved portion of the estate. As for the rest, the free portion, that will be distributed in accordance with the will. As you said, it was his to dispose of as he desired, even to someone he just recently met. Nothing unfair in that, unless there was actual (and provable) criminal fraud or other criminal transgression involved. Her father's "obligation" to take of of his family, including your partner, is covered by the reserved portion. Your partner has no right to anything in the free portion unless it is specifically bequeathed to her.

Also, as I said, there is a fundamental difference in how common and civil law work in matters like this. In civil law, no one cares about the drama. At all. Even bringing it up is more likely to backfire than not. Tell your partner to keep her emotional issues to herself, zip up, and let the lawyer do the talking. Otherwise, she is likely to make a huge clown out of herself. Civil law is shockingly dispassionate for those of us who are used to common law proceedings. It's not adversarial. Melodramatic theatrics are not at all appreciated. Or tolerated.

Law / Last will in Poland - (can a stranger inherit everything?) [40]

@adze1986

All the court cares about is seeing that the inheritance is properly distributed according to the law. For them, it is solely about the money, and they could not care less about all the drama or the "unfairness" of it all. They are there to identify the assets belonging to the estate and distribute them in accordance with the law and the will.

So if your partner does decide to hire a lawyer in order to get her share of the inheritance, then she should focus on that goal alone. Anything else is a waste of time to everyone involved.

As cms said, this is a considerable sum of money, and whether your partner says "it's not about the money" or not, she would be foolish indeed not to do all she can to get her fair share of such a sizable estate. Hire a good lawyer and let them do their job. Save the drama for the ears of someone who is interested in that sort of stuff. Guaranteed, you won't find them in the courtroom.

Law / Last will in Poland - (can a stranger inherit everything?) [40]

And let the lawyer do all the talking. Your partner can only harm her case by contacting her father's fiancee herself. That's what you pay lawyers for. Just stand back and let them work their magic.

Law / Last will in Poland - (can a stranger inherit everything?) [40]

@adze1986

A couple of things here. Poland operates under civil law, and under civil law it is very difficult to disinherit anyone. Also, the power of a will is much less than in common law. The inheritance is split into two fractions, one of which must go to statutory heirs (the reserved portion), and the other which may be disposed of according to the will. The formula for distribution is fixed and non-negotiable.

The story you have told is very divergent from how inheritance normally works in civil law countries. My impression is that your FIL's fiancee is trying to defraud your partner. Best for her to get her own Polish attorney now and move to protect assets pending the settlement of the estate.

Law / Decision on Karta Pobytu (Residence Card) in Poland. How long should I wait? [33]

The decision is made by the marszałek, who is in Warsaw. Regional offices have no authority to make decisions on their own.

Law / Decision on Karta Pobytu (Residence Card) in Poland. How long should I wait? [33]

Probably slower than in Warsaw, as any paperwork would have to be sent to Warsaw, where the decision is made. Sure, there may be fewer applicants in these places, but there are also fewer clerks to deal with them, and, like I said, they have to send the paperwork out of office to Warsaw, so you have to take that turnaround time into account.

Life / English family in Wroclaw! [70]


There's a lot more to the Gringo tax than deception.

In Poland, the cost of education in a good English-medium school is very high. A foreigner is going to have to pay up to 4000 PLN per child per month for a good school the likes of which a Pole can get for free.

Then there is the simple fact of not being familiar with local prices, consumer habits and best retail outlets. For example, we just had a post from a Swede here that thought that paying 2800 PLN for an apartment in Łódź for a couple earning 6000 PLN net was OK. That's about 1000 PLN a month in gringo tax right there.

Then there is having to buy what Poles can get from friends or family either at no cost or at low cost. I was going to buy a food processor in Poland until a Polish friend told me that his parents had one at home that they never used. They were happy to part with it for 20 PLN. Hand-me-downs for kids is another way Poles spend far less than foreigner.

Or, a common theme on this forum, getting foodstuffs from back home rather than using local products. Or eating beef or lamb rather than adapting to pork and chicken. Or buying your food at the supermarket rather than at local shops or the farmers market. Or shopping in the city rather than in the village.

Or simply not being able to read the labels or ask questions because you don't know the language.

Life / English family in Wroclaw! [70]


Only if you are earning the same amount of money, like, say, you are retired on a fixed income, and even then, often not. Generally, though, earnings in richer countries outpace cost of living, and thus purchasing power as a percentage of earnings and absolute savings potential are therefore much higher. This is especially true for the middle and upper classes, who make their living from business and investments, That is why the balance of migration from poorer to richer countries far outpaces migration in the opposite direction. In Poland's case, a lot of the immigration from poorer countries is transitory in nature, as many, if not most, of these immigrants intend to move on to greener pastures in the West. Few will stay as long as there is such a large disparity in savings potential between Poland and the West, and that disparity is going to persist for decades.

Another thing that people fail to take into account is the "Gringo Tax". The cost of living in Poland is much higher for foreigners than for native Poles, because they do not speak the local language, are unfamiliar with how things are done in Poland, and do no have extensive networks of families and friends, which are serious handicaps and financial liabilities. So a foreigner with 10,000 PLN a month is not going to be able to live nearly as well as a Pole with the same amount, at least until he learns the language, acculturates himself and builds up a network of local contacts, and that takes several years. Which is exactly what the OP will have to do if he expects to stay in Poland for long.

There are poor countries, mostly with extractive economies, that do have large and established expat communities, and where you can comfortably live in an English-speaking bubble. Poland is not one of them, nor is anywhere else in eastern Europe except for Prague.

Life / English family in Wroclaw! [70]


Apparently not. If we go with your figure of a total of 4000 in the city (0.5%), and take out the Ukrainians and Vietnamese alone, that doesn't leave very many left. Then take out the transient workers, sham students, economic refugees in transit, asylum seekers, and short-haul expats, and that leaves even less. Let's be generous and say 0.10 percent true long-term expats in the whole city. And not all of them speak English. Most probably don't. Then take out those without wife and kid in tow, and you have a very small pool indeed for the OP to socialize with. It could double, triple and even nonuple without breaking the 1% mark, and it takes a lot more than that to form a community.

If the OP thinks he is going to find an "expat community" in Wrocław, he is in for a rude awakening. Scattered expats, perhaps, but nothing resembling a community.

Life / English family in Wroclaw! [70]


Of course it is. Get real. And quite deceptive.


Very few Ukrainians speak English. At all. Even among the academic and professional class.

Life / English family in Wroclaw! [70]

@jon357

Come on, John. That's marketing material. Wrocław is cool, for Poland. But it's very far from being anything like Prague, which is the only city in the former communist block that I would consider an actual ex-pat "destination".

They are equivocating a bit on the word "ex-pat". "In 2015, Wroclaw's District Employment Agency alone received 36 thousand applications from employers (99% of which concerned Ukrainian nationals)".

So reread that article and replace the words "expat" and "foreigner" with "Ukrainian". Doesn't read quite the same anymore. Not a very wide range of foreigners, and with 36,000 applicants, few of them qualify as "ex-pats".