What the A1 is
The A1 is an EU-wide certificate issued in Poland by the social insurance institution ZUS. It confirms that a person working temporarily in another EU country stays within the sending country's social security system — contributions keep going to Poland rather than to German institutions.
It covers both employees posted by a company and self-employed people travelling for a contract. ZUS issues it in both cases; only the applicant differs.
When ZUS issues an A1
The certificate is not automatic. ZUS checks whether the posting is genuine:
- The employer carries out substantial activity in Poland — roughly 25 % of turnover, staff or contracts is the working benchmark.
- The worker was insured in Poland for at least one month before the posting.
- The direct employment relationship with the sending employer continues throughout: it pays the wage, directs the work and can end the contract.
- The posting does not replace another worker whose posting has just ended.
- For the self-employed: the business has operated in Poland for at least two months and continues after the return.
How to apply, step by step
- 1
Log in to PUE ZUS
Portal: pue.zus.pl. The company acts in its role as contribution payer.
- 2
Choose form US-4
US-4 covers posted employees; the self-employed use form US-1.
- 3
Fill in the posting details
Worker's data, country of work, exact period, details of the German client and the site address. Everything must match the employment contract and the customs report.
- 4
Attach the documents
Employment contract or posting agreement, evidence of activity in Poland and, for the self-employed, business registration documents.
- 5
Sign and submit
The finished A1 appears in the PUE account as a PDF ready to download and print.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Form | US-4 (posted employee), US-1 (self-employed) |
| Cost | Free of charge |
| Processing time | Usually several working days; apply 3–4 weeks before departure |
| Maximum period | 24 months (extensions only exceptionally, by agreement between both states) |
| Scope | Only the period and country stated on the document |
The health insurance card
The A1 concerns contributions, not treatment. Access to German healthcare comes from the European Health Insurance Card, issued free of charge by the Polish health fund NFZ. Every worker should carry one.
Inspections on site
Inspections are run by the customs unit for undeclared work (FKS). They arrive unannounced and check each worker individually: identity, A1, pay conditions and working-time records.
- Without an A1, German insurance liability is presumed — including a demand for contributions in Germany.
- The German client shares the responsibility, which is why serious contractors ask for A1 scans before the crew sets foot on site.
- Work can be halted until the situation is clarified, and the standstill is the contractor's cost.