After the end of the communist regime, Poland was in a severe economic crisis, but thanks to the policy of market liberalization, privatization of state-owned enterprises and liberal laws, the country’s economy has grown rapidly. And now many people are thinking of working in Poland.
It should be added that Poland is the state that benefits the most from the funds provided by the European Union, which amount to 106 billion euros in the period 2014-2020. Funds used for the development and modernization of the country’s infrastructure and industrial sector. In a short time, the country became one of the most important European economic powers. Therefore, working in Poland could be an interesting opportunity.
Poland was the only EU country that did not fall into recession during the bursting of the housing bubble in 2008. GDP growth was around 6% in 2021, and the unemployment rate was just over 3%, which means full employment.
The agricultural sector is very strong and employs a significant number of workers; Poland is the most important food producer in the European Union.
Even though Poland’s old heavy industry has been gradually reformed to make it competitive and reduce environmental pollution, electricity generation still comes almost entirely from coal-fired power plants, causing major air pollution problems in the country.
The tertiary sector is the one that has the greatest impact on GDP, with trade, finance, tourism and business process outsourcing (BPO) being the most prominent. There are many BPO companies in Poland, attracted by low costs, efficient infrastructures and a good labor market.
Many multinational companies have their headquarters and offices in Poland. Technology parks and incubators are spreading rapidly, giving young entrepreneurs the opportunity to turn their ideas into products or services. Infrastructure, training, consulting and financing are available for start-ups. Hundreds of new companies are founded every year, especially in Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan, Wroclaw and Gdansk. Over 50% of Polish start-ups export their products (software, video games, etc.) abroad.
Citizens from non-EU/EFTA countries who wish to work in Poland require a work permit. There are different types of work permits depending on the type of work and duration.
Working in Poland, useful resources
- Living and working in Poland, a useful guide
- Migrant, information about working in Poland
- Careers in Poland, a small guide
- Work as a student, how to stay and work legally in Poland as a student
- Studying in Poland, information about studying in Poland
- Study in Poland, a complete guide
- Nawa, recognition of international qualifications
Working in Poland
Currently, GDP per capita in Poland is still lower than in Western European countries. The average salary in Poland is about 900 € per month. The forecasts predict that it will reach the European average salary in the next 10 years. The regions with the highest salaries are: Gdansk, Gdynia, Sopot. Warsaw, Krakow and Poznan. The cities with the highest job offers, besides those mentioned above, are Wroclaw, Lodz and Katowice.
Salaries vary greatly depending on the profession. If you work in IT, you can get a good salary even compared to Western Europe. On the other hand, if you work as a waiter in a bar or restaurant, you will earn the minimum wage (18.30 zl per hour).
Poland is not an El Dorado. Especially in the big cities. It can be interesting to gain work experience. But if you intend to settle here, I advise you to try it only if you have a well-paying job.
For most jobs you need to know Polish. However, English is very well known among the new generations and there are many job opportunities for English speakers, especially in IT and in the financial sector. There are also many vacancies for native speakers at BPO (call center) companies.
Warsaw, the capital, is the largest city in Poland, where most foreigners live. If you want to find work quickly, Warsaw is the most important city to consider, as many outsourcing companies and multinational corporations are located here.
Europass resume is accepted, but remember to add the following wording about personal data processing at the end:
- I consent to the processing of my personal data contained in my application for the purposes of the recruitment procedure in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act of 29 August 1997, consolidated text: Journal of Laws 2015, Article 2135 as amended.
The CV should normally be written in Polish, unless you are applying to a multinational company or a call center.
Most In-demand jobs in Poland
A study shows that over 50% of employers in Poland have difficulty finding employees, especially in the most sought-after professions:
- Engineering, Construction, Chemical, Electrical, Mechanical, etc.
- Commercial professions, marketing experts, sales representatives, etc.
- Banking and finance, accountants, auditors, financial analysts, etc.
- IT with over 50,000 companies in the region, the demand for IT security experts, network administrators, IT technicians, etc. is constantly increasing
- Logistics and transportation, truck drivers, warehouse workers, etc
- BPO, managers, accountants, data analysts, salesmen, account managers, etc.
Work in Poland, job search
To search for work in Poland, you can use:
1.Linkedin, besides searching for jobs, it is important to follow companies and recruiters and build a network
2.Golden line, a very popular social network in Poland, that contains many job offers.
3.Eures, European mobility website.
4. Try to contact companies, you can send your CV and cover letter to them.
- Europages, directory of European companies
- Kompass, access to companies in over 70 countries
- Business Navigator database of Polish companies. It is possible to search by indusstry or city
5. Public Employment Office, exist in all cities and they are very useful in finding work. You must register as a job seeker or as unemployed. The registration can be done in the office or through the Internet.
6 Job search websites
- Careerjet, international job search engine
- Infopraca, (in English)
- Interia, widely used website (only in Polish)
- Jobs, (in English)
- Jobs in Krakow, vacancies in Krakow
- Jobs in Warsaw, vacancies in Warsaw
- Trovit, search engine (in Polish)
- Praca, (in Polish)
- Pracuj, (in Polish)
- Hotelcareer, vacancies in hospitality
- OLX, classified ads website
- Students, job offers and internships for students and recent graduates
7 Recruitment agencies
- Adecco, international agency
- Grafton, international agency with numerous offices in Eastern European countries
- Gi group, international agency
- Praca gov, list of all employment agencies in Poland. You can search by name, location or other parameters
Starting a business in Poland
If you want to start a business in Poland, you can start your own business quickly with minimal bureaucracy and low costs. The Ease of Doing Business Report lists Poland as 39th in the world. Note that there are 14 special economic zones in Poland. In these areas, there are incentives and simplified procedures for both Polish and foreign businesses.
If you want to invest in the hospitality industry, you need to know that the market is almost saturated in large Polish cities, but not yet in medium-sized cities, so there are definitely chances for success.
