Gross Salary & ZUS in Poland (2,500 Euro per month). Getting paid ZUS back?

Hello,

I am about to working in Poland, and a company lawyer is working on my work permit now.
Since I have limited information, I want you to share some information and confirm some stuff as below ;

1. My net. salary is 2,500Euro(month), then how can I calculate gross one? is there any site where I can calculate it?

2. I don't pay my ZUS though, I am curious how this system works. Once I leave this country, can I pay back some part of ZUS I have paid? I am from Non-EU.

Regards,

1. 2500 Euro (BRUTTO) is about 10440 PLN, so you would get about 7340 PLN (NETTO, ie. after paying ZUS and other fees), ie. you'd take home about 1,760 Euro.

Without paying ZUS you'd get about 8496 PLN, ie. 2035 Euro home. You can go to (in Polish) to calculate it: infor.pl/kalkulatory/brutto_netto.html

2. I doubt you can get paid ZUS back -- unless you reach the retirement age (and have enough years worked in Poland to be eligible for retirement benefits). ZUS is similar to Social Security; if you work, you are forced to pay it no matter what (and you can get it back when you retire or when you have an accident / cannot work etc.).

No, ZUS is not refunded, however in the future you may have a minuscule pension from Poland, or more likely by then, the EU...

Well, you can (in some cases) transfer the contributions abroad to a different system. A clever scam might be to pay ZUS at the lowest possible rate for 30 years (or however many is needed for the new State Pension in the UK) and then transfer the contributions to the UK - which would give you a higher pension without fuss.

The OP doesn't say how old he or she is, however there's a strong chance that by retirement date, the system will be standardised across the EU.

'' from Poland, or more likely by then, the EU... ''

? why not Poland?

Pensions are likely to be standardised by then to iron out various cross-border issues.

In all the EU the rule is simple: you HAVE TO pay national insurance contributions (and income tax) in the country you're working in. There are some exceptions, but it's not likely you can avoid ZUS. And there is no way and no reason to get it back.

Of course you can get "get it back" by transferring it to your national system.

Having said that, the Polish system is rather more generous than some others if you pay enough in.