Wages Rise as Corporate Jobs Shrink: Poland's Employment Paradox Deepens
New 2026 labour market data reveals Poland's structural challenge: while average wages climbed 5.8% year-on-year in May 2026, total corporate employment fell 0.9%—marking over two years of consecutive decline. Businesses are shrinking headcount while competing aggressively on pay.
Poland's labour market is sending contradictory signals. While employment numbers fall steadily, wage growth remains robust—a pattern that underscores deep structural shifts rather than cyclical recession.
The Numbers
In May 2026, the average gross monthly wage in Poland's enterprise sector reached PLN 9,173.24, up 5.8% year on year, while the number of jobs fell 0.9% from a year earlier to 6.38 million. This decline in employment has become persistent. After peaking in 2023 at more than 6.53 million full-time equivalents, the number of jobs has steadily declined. In May 2026, it stood at 6,377.4 thousand FTEs, down 0.9% year on year and 0.1% from April. Since the peak, the equivalent of more than 150,000 full-time jobs has disappeared.
The statutory minimum wage increase to PLN 4,806 since January 2026, up 3.0%, has pushed up average wages across the economy. Yet companies are not conducting mass layoffs, but they are limiting new recruitment and not replacing every departing employee, while still competing for workers through pay.
What This Means
Polish employers face a deliberate strategic choice: hire fewer people but pay them more to retain talent and avoid poaching by competitors. Average wages have continued to rise as employers compete for talent. In March 2026, the average gross salary reached around PLN 9,055.92, up about 7.7% year-on-year. The gap between lowest and highest-paying sectors is widening. The highest average salaries are offered in information and communication, at PLN 15,581, followed by professional, scientific and technical activities at PLN 12,504 and energy supply at PLN 12,136.
For foreign workers in Poland, this paradox creates both opportunity and risk. Higher wages in tight sectors (IT, engineering, finance) reflect genuine demand, but overall job availability is shrinking. Competition for roles is intense, and employers are selective. If you are job-hunting or renegotiating a contract in 2026, expect that pay is negotiable—but also that employers are not expanding headcount broadly.
Sources
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