In Poland, the pace of wage growth has dropped to its lowest level in the last five years. Almost seven out of ten companies have abandoned pay raises, and employers are increasingly focusing on cost control instead of competing for employees. This is reported by LIGA.net citing a study by the Gremi Personal analytical center.
Wages in Poland are increasing significantly slower
According to the National Employment Index quarterly report, in the first quarter of 2026, the average salary in Poland's corporate sector was 9263.5 zlotys, or nearly 110 thousand UAH before taxes. Over the year, it increased by only 6.3%.
For comparison, in 2023-2024, wages in Poland grew by 10-13% per year. Furthermore, the minimum wage was increased by only 3% to 4806 zlotys or approximately 57 thousand UAH gross as of January 1, 2026.
As explained by the founder of Gremi Personal, Yevhen Kirichenko, the Polish labor market is gradually coming out of a period of overheating, and employers are shifting to a more restrained financial policy. At the same time, workers are increasingly choosing stable jobs rather than switching employers for higher salaries.
Which sectors continue to raise wages
Despite the overall slowdown, some sectors show higher income growth rates.
Wage increases were the highest in:
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the manufacturing of other transport equipment - by 8.5%;
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logistics - by 8%;
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the manufacturing of electronics and optical devices - by 7%;
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construction - by 6.8%;
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machine engineering - by 6.5%.
The lowest growth was recorded in the food industry, where the average salary increased by only 4.6%.
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What this means for Ukrainians in Poland
According to Eurostat, at the end of April 2026, over 971,000 Ukrainians were under temporary protection in Poland. They remain an important part of the Polish labor market.
According to estimates from Gremi Personal, foreign workers accounted for between 5.1% and 10.7% of Poland's Gross Domestic Product in 2025. At the same time, experts predict that by the end of 2026, wages in the country will continue to rise, but without the sharp jumps characteristic of previous years.
It is noteworthy that Polish workers are among the most overworked in the European Union. In 2025, the average length of the workweek in the country was 38 hours, which significantly exceeds the EU average.