How to find a job in Poland

Since many years, Poland has been attracting a great number of expatriates from all around the world. Thanks to its strong economy, which remained unaffected by the global recession from 2008-2010, it provides plenty of opportunities for expatriates, whether they come from the European Union or elsewhere. Thus, if you are looking to develop your career in one of Europe's booming economies, Poland would be a great choice.

Economy

To date, Poland is deemed to be the 8th European economic powerhouse and the 23rd economy worldwide according to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In fact, a number of analysts have dubbed the country an 'under-the-radar economic star'.

Poland's economy primarily relies on energy, tourism and service sectors; and the country's main industries include telecommunications, petrochemicals, information and communication technology, automotive industry, etc. Poland is also a top destination for investment in Central Europe, attracting investors from both the neighbouring countries as well as the rest of the world.

Labour market

As mentioned above, Poland has a strong and diverse economy, but the majority of the workforce is employed in the services sector. Other areas offering an abundance of employment opportunities include infrastructure, education, research and innovation, and the environment. The unemployment rate in Poland is one of the lowest in the European Union ' about 4.4% ' and both local and international companies based in the country are welcome towards foreign expertise. Note that the majority of the population speaks Polish ' and it's a good idea to improve your language skills prior to your arrival.

Find a job

Your chances of landing a good position in Poland are higher if you are a qualified and experienced professional in one of the in-demand fields: marketing, IT, education, banking, tourism, business services, and others.

There are various ways to find a job in Poland. You might start by registering with local employment agencies, contacting headhunters or browsing through job hunting websites (a number of which are available in both Polish and English), professional forums and social networks. You can also send applications with your CV and cover letter directly to your chosen companies in Poland. Consider getting a free CV review at TopCV. Most international companies operating across the country receive job applications in Polish, English, and German. You can therefore send your resume and cover letter to employers in any of these three languages ' depending, of course, on the company you are applying to.

Work permit

Non-European Union nationals wishing to work in Poland have to obtain a work permit first ' this document will allow you to work in the country legally. This permit has to be requested from the nearest Voivodship Office relating to the company's address or your place of residence. In order to apply for the permit, the following conditions need to be met:

• Your potential employer needs to provide proof that you meet the requirements of the job you are applying for as well as proof of the financial means to keep you as an employee
• You will need to attach proof of relevant qualifications, diplomas, certificates, reference letters as well as a declaration of no-criminal record (all the documents need to be translated into Polish and notarised)

Note that Poland has recently introduced a new seasonal work permit (Type S) that allows individuals who are not citizens on the EU to work in certain fields (agriculture, hospitality, food industry, etc.) for a period of up to 9 months.

Working conditions

The legal working week in Poland consists of 42 hours.

Employees are entitled to 14 to 26 paid leaves per year, depending on the number of years they have completed within the company and on their position.

Polish citizens and residents are required to pay income tax, which ranges progressively from 18% to 32% of the taxable base. Employees also must pay social security contributions at the rate of 9%, which actually works out to be 1.25% net after tax deductions.

Useful links:

National Employment Agency
Ministry of Labour
Praca
Pracuj
Monster Polska
ZUS ' Social Security