How to Register a Temporary Work Agency Sending Workers to Denmark 2026

Registering a temporary work agency sending workers to Denmark is a process that touches two legal systems at once: Polish national law governing staffing agencies, and Danish rules that apply the moment your first employee sets foot on a Danish worksite. Getting either side wrong can mean rejected registrations, blocked payroll, or serious penalties from both the Polish State Labour Inspectorate (PIP) and the Danish Working Environment Authority (Arbejdstilsynet). This guide walks you through every step in plain language, so you can build a compliant operation from day one.

Step 1: Check Your Eligibility in Poland

Before you register anything, confirm that your business structure qualifies. In Poland, a temporary work agency must be entered in the Krajowy Rejestr Agencji Zatrudnienia (KRAZ), the national register of employment agencies maintained by the minister responsible for labour. The legal basis is the Act on Employment Promotion and Labour Market Institutions (Ustawa o promocji zatrudnienia i instytucjach rynku pracy), which sets out who may apply and what conditions must be met.

The person managing the agency must not have been convicted of certain offences, including crimes against employees' rights as defined in the Polish Penal Code. The company itself must also have a registered business address in Poland and a valid entry in the Central Register and Information on Economic Activity (CEIDG) for sole traders, or the National Court Register (KRS) for companies. If you plan to hire workers under the Polish Labour Code (Kodeks Pracy) and then post them to Denmark, you are simultaneously acting as a temporary work agency and a posting employer, which means both sets of rules apply to you from the very start.

Step 2: Gather the Required Documents

The KRAZ application requires a specific set of documents. You will need a completed application form, proof of no criminal record for the agency's managing persons, a declaration confirming that the business has not been removed from KRAZ in the past for violations, and confirmation of your registered business address. If your agency is a limited liability company (spółka z o.o.), you will also attach a current KRS extract. Sole traders attach a CEIDG printout instead.

On the financial side, you do not need to pay a high registration fee, but you must be up to date with ZUS (Social Insurance Institution) contributions and have no outstanding tax liabilities with the Polish tax authority. The tax office portal at podatki.gov.pl allows you to obtain a certificate of no tax arrears electronically, which saves considerable time. Similarly, ZUS issues clearance certificates through its PUE ZUS online platform.

Step 3: Fill Out the KRAZ Application Forms

The application forms are available through the official Polish government portal at gov.pl. You submit the application to the Voivodeship Labour Office (Wojewódzki Urząd Pracy) in the region where your agency has its registered seat. The form itself asks for your business data, the types of employment agency activities you intend to carry out (temporary work placement, permanent placement, career counselling, and so on), and the personal details of the person responsible for running the agency.

Be precise here. If you intend to post workers abroad, tick that specific activity category. Agencies that later operate activities not covered by their KRAZ registration risk sanctions from PIP, the State Labour Inspectorate, which actively audits agencies and can suspend or withdraw a KRAZ certificate. For a broader picture of what PIP inspectors check on cross-border assignments, the PIP website publishes detailed guidance on posting obligations.

Step 4: Submit the Application and Register in Denmark

Once your Polish KRAZ certificate is in hand, you must notify the Danish authorities before your workers start. Denmark requires foreign service providers posting workers to register in the RUT register (Registret for Udenlandske Tjenesteydere), which is administered by the Danish Business Authority. Registration must happen no later than the first day of work in Denmark. Failure to register is an offence under Danish law and can result in significant fines for both the agency and the Danish client company.

At the same time, familiarise yourself with LOV 89, the Danish Act on Posted Workers, which transposes the EU Posting of Workers Directive into Danish law. LOV 89 requires that posted workers receive at least the terms and conditions that apply under Danish collective agreements in the relevant sector, particularly in construction. This includes working time rules, rest periods, and pay. If your workers will be on building sites, you should also review the requirements covered in our guide on Mandatory Safety Signs on Danish Construction Sites 2026, since Arbejdstilsynet enforces these rules strictly and your agency shares responsibility with the Danish client.

Working time documentation is another area where agencies repeatedly stumble. Both Polish and Danish law impose record-keeping obligations, and they do not always align neatly. Our detailed comparison in Work Time Records: Poland vs Denmark LOV 89 Guide 2026 explains exactly what records you need to keep and in which format to satisfy both jurisdictions.

Step 5: Wait for the Result and Plan Your Operations

The Voivodeship Labour Office is required to process a complete KRAZ application within a set statutory period. If your documents are in order, you will receive your certificate relatively quickly. If the office requests supplementary documents, the clock pauses until you respond, so answer any queries promptly.

While you wait, use the time productively. Draft your employment contracts in line with the Kodeks Pracy and the Act on Employment of Temporary Workers (Ustawa o zatrudnianiu pracowników tymczasowych). Prepare your A1 certificate procedure with ZUS, because every posted worker needs an A1 form confirming that Polish social security law continues to apply during the posting. Without A1 certificates, Danish authorities may require the Danish client to pay Danish social contributions, which is an outcome neither party wants.

Rotation planning is also worth addressing early. Many agencies underestimate how complex managing worker rotations across borders becomes once operations scale up. The practical challenges and solutions are explored in depth in our article on Rotation Schedule Chaos: How Polish Agencies Regain Control in 2026.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The most frequent error is operating before the KRAZ certificate arrives. Some entrepreneurs assume that submitting the application is enough to start business, but Polish law requires the certificate to be issued before any agency activity begins. A second common mistake is registering in RUT only for the first assignment and then forgetting to update the register when new assignments start or worker numbers change. RUT entries must reflect actual, current postings.

Agencies also frequently overlook the obligation to inform the Danish user company about the terms of each posted worker's contract before work begins. LOV 89 places a transparency duty on the agency, and Danish labour inspectors do check this during on-site visits. Finally, many agencies fail to keep a local representative or contact point accessible in Denmark during the posting period, which is a requirement under the Posting of Workers Directive and its Danish implementation.

Actionable Advice for New Agencies

Start with a legal audit of your Polish business structure before spending money on any Danish operations. Confirm that your CEIDG or KRS entry correctly lists employment agency activities. Apply for your KRAZ certificate as early as possible, because you cannot legally operate without it. Once the certificate is issued, register in RUT before your first worker crosses the border, obtain A1 certificates from ZUS for every posted employee, and ensure your employment contracts reference both the Polish Labour Code and the minimum standards required under LOV 89. Keep copies of all documents accessible both in Poland and on the Danish worksite, because inspectors from both Arbejdstilsynet and PIP have the right to request them at any time.

Building a compliant agency takes more upfront work than many entrepreneurs expect, but the legal framework is clear and well-documented. Following these steps methodically protects your workers, your Danish clients, and your business licence.