Looking for a job in Poland is now harder than a year ago – the country is transitioning to an 'employer's market'

Despite the official data from the Central Statistical Office of Poland, which states that the unemployment rate in the country was 5% in May 2025, 0.2 percentage points lower than in April, finding a job in Poland is now harder than it was a year ago. Especially when it comes to stable employment with decent pay. This is evidenced by data from the international recruitment company Gremi Personal.

«In recent years, the Polish labor market has been operating in a 'worker's market' mode. Companies competed for staff by offering bonuses, salary increases, and social packages. However, the situation is changing now. According to data from our company's analytical center, Poland is gradually transitioning to an 'employer's market'. This means that the number of vacancies is decreasing while the requirements for candidates are increasing,» explains Iryna Serova, CBDO of Gremi Personal. 

As a result, finding a job in Poland – even physical labor – is becoming increasingly difficult. This particularly concerns Ukrainians, who make up the largest group among foreign workers in the country: nearly 67% of all legally employed foreigners.

According to Gremi Personal, the demand for labor remains relatively stable in sectors such as logistics, construction, etc. At the same time, these areas are seeing the highest turnover rates, not always competitive salaries, and challenging working conditions. 

The high turnover of personnel in these areas still necessitates the constant hiring of new workers – both from Ukraine and from other countries.

At the same time, one of the new challenges for Ukrainians in the Polish labor market has been the increasing number of workers from countries that were previously rare in Poland's migration structure. In just the last year, the number of Colombians in Poland has increased by 200%, Filipinos by 52%, and Indians by 12%.

«Private businesses view workers from these countries positively: they are less demanding, disciplined, with low turnover and crime rates,» says Iryna Serova.

In her opinion, if Poland actively attracts workers from distant countries, it could create additional pressure on Ukrainian labor migrants. Even now, Ukrainians can choose vacancies and change employers in search of better conditions. However, if employers shift their attention to less demanding, more stable labor from other countries, Ukrainians will have to either adapt to new realities or consider alternative employment avenues.

For example, there is already a growing trend among Ukrainians towards transit migration – Poland is increasingly becoming not a destination country, but a 'springboard' to other EU countries. Amid the temporary protection policy within the EU, many Ukrainians are choosing to work in Germany, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, or Scandinavia.