Despite securing the second-lowest unemployment rate in the EU, Poland is grappling with a shortage of workers across various sectors.
Industries actively seeking new hires include healthcare, physical labor, and the food and services sector. The Ministry of Family and Social Policy in Poland emphasized the persisting scarcity of personnel in the country’s labor market in a press release issued this September.
However, Polish authorities acknowledge that the inclusion of foreigners, particularly Ukrainian citizens, has alleviated these shortages, with employers expressing considerable interest in hiring them.
Poland has also distinguished itself by ranking fifth in terms of the economic activity rates of foreigners among all EU Member States, reaching 81.6% in 2022, surpassing the EU average of 72.5%. This suggests that foreigners aspiring to live and work in Poland may benefit from labor shortages, increasing their chances of obtaining a visa if their profession aligns with the country’s labor needs.
Key sectors experiencing the most significant shortages, as identified by the European Labour Authority (EURES), include healthcare, construction, skilled trades, and IT. In-demand occupations range from Woodworking Machine Tool Setters and Operators to Finance Managers.
Occupations in High Demand in Poland:
- Woodworking Machine Tool Setters and Operators
- Wood Treaters
- Wood Processing Plant Operators
- Welders and Flame Cutters
- Vocational Education Teachers
- Toolmakers and Related Workers
- Teaching Professionals Not Elsewhere Classified
- Stock Clerks
- Sheet Metal Workers
- Roofers
- Psychologists
- Plumbers and Pipe Fitters
- Physiotherapy Technicians and Assistants
- Physiotherapists
- Payroll Clerks
- Painters and Related Workers
- Motor Vehicle Mechanics and Repairers
- Midwifery Professionals
- Metal Working Machine Tool Setters and Operators
- Metal Polishers, Wheel Grinders, and Tool Sharpeners
- Lifting Truck Operators
- Legal and Related Associate Professionals
- House Builders
- Heavy Truck and Lorry Drivers
- Handicraft Workers in Wood, Basketry, and Related Fields
- Generalist Medical Practitioners
- Floor Layers and Tile Setters
- Finance Managers
- Earthmoving and Related Plant Operators
- Cooks
- Concrete Placers, Concrete Finishers, and Related Workers
- Civil Engineering Labourers
- Carpenters and Joiners
- Cabinet-makers and Related Workers
- Bus and Tram Drivers
- Building Structure Cleaners
- Building Frame and Related Trades Workers
- Building Construction Labourers
- Building and Related Electricians
- Bricklayers and Related Workers
- Bakers, Pastry-cooks, and Confectionery Makers
- Ambulance Workers
- Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics
- Accounting Associate Professionals
- Accounting and Bookkeeping Clerks
For those requiring a visa to work in Poland, individuals from EU/EEA countries or Switzerland are exempt. Non-EU citizens must have a work permit applied for by Polish employers before obtaining a work visa at the Polish Embassy. Before initiating the visa application process, foreigners must select one of the five types of work permits that align with their job circumstances.
Poland continues to attract individuals seeking new employment opportunities, evidenced by the issuance of thousands of national visas in the past year and the first half of 2023. Notably, in 2022, Poland granted 138,789 work visas to Ukrainians, 120,914 national visas to Belarusians, and 10,946 national visas to Turks.