Salaries in Poland – all you need to know

Poland has one of the most developed economies in Europe and offers a wide range of jobs and income levels. If you think about living in a country that will help you improve your career, gain new skills and earn good money, Poland will be a great choice. Our country is now among the fastest-growing economies in the European Union, so prospects for future are good. The labour market is in a good position and is constantly developing. According to Eurostat, the unemployment rate in Poland in January 2020 was 2.9 percent. against 3.8 percent in the first month of 2019. This is the second best result among all EU Member States.

What is the minimum salary wage  in Poland?

The minimum salary is the legally set minimum acceptable level of remuneration for work (based on an employment contract). The lowest possible wage is set by the government. Not every country have minimum wage, but it’s often beneficial to workers. It helps reducing  poverty and gives some kind of job security, because the employee can be sure, that the salary can’t fall below a certain level. It also limits unethical activities of employers.

In Poland, the minimum wage is set annually. From January 1 to December 31, 2018, it was 2,100 pln. In 2019 the minimal wage grow from 2250 gross pln per month to 2600 gross pln. In 2020 increased by 350 pln gross (by 15.6 percent). According to the government plan, by 2024 salaries should increase to 4,000 pln, so each year salaries should be increases. Employers in Poland who do not pay the minimum wage may be subject to punishment by the government of Poland. The minimum hourly rate for contractors increased from 14,70 gross pln to 17 gross pln. A full-time employee spends 8 hours a day at work and 40 hours a week. It may also be that the employee work his standard, based on a slightly different graphic, because the company, institution or office can set a different time of work. If the employee’s daily working time is at least 6 hours, the employee has the right to a break of work of at least 15 minutes, included in the working time.

Are you thinking about moving to Poland and don’t know how much you can earn?

The average salary in Poland depends on the professions, skills, professional experience, level of education, and knowledge of foreign languages. Differences in earnings also appear depending on the city in which the work is carried out and the size of the company. If you are wondering what it means to have a good salary in Poland it also depend on lifestyle that you need to have. Everything above average salary is considered as high salary. Remember that starting your career in Poland, even earning a minimum wage, you will be able to live without difficulty, because the cost of living in Poland is relatively low compared to other European countries.

There is a lack of specialists in Poland in fields of: construction, manufacturing, transport, catering, healthcare, finance, IT. If you have experience, you can earn good money in that areas.

Warsaw is one of the cities offering the most attractive salaries, but there is also a lot of competition on the labour market. According to the Central Statistical Office national average salary in Poland in 2019 amounted to 5,169 pln gross in the enterprise sector. In Poland, residents of large cities like Warsaw, Gdańsk and Katowice earn the most. This is where the average salary exceeds the  5,000 pln.

The amount of earnings depends on the industry and the demand for employees.

Average monthly gross salary in the sectors:

• enterprise sector – 5,283 pln (1152 Euro)
• industry – 5,265 pln (1149 euro)
• industrial processing – 5,069 pln (1106 euro)
• construction – 5,149 pln (1123 euro)
• trade, repair of motor vehicles – 5,043 pln (1100 euro)
• transport and storage – 4,721 pln (1030 euro)
• accommodation and catering –  3,939 pln (859 euro)
• information and communication – 9,083 pln (1982 euro)
• real estate market services – 5,440 pln (1187 euro)
• administration and support activities – 4,082 pln (890 euro)

Above you can check some examples of average salary in Poland in popular jobs:

• Accountant – 4 570 pln – 997 euro
• Attorney – 7 140 pln – 1558 pln
• Cashier – 2 820 pln – 615 euro
• Chef – 3 200 pln – 698 euro
• Dentist – 4 500 pln – 982 euro
• Programmer – 7 500 pln – 1636 euro
• Pharmacist – 5 410 pln – 1180 euro
• Secretary – 3 500 pln – 763 euro
• Teacher – 3 700 pln – 807 euro
• Graphic designer – 4 460 pln – 973 euro
• Bricklayer – 3 510 pln – 766 euro
• Welder – 4 410 pln – 962 euro
• website administrator – 3 890 pln – 848 euro
• financial analyst – 6 680 pln – 1457 euro

Poland is showing itself as one of the most dynamic economies in Europe. Big cities have a lot of opportunities for young professionals and they are also great places to start your own business. The quality of living in Poland is quite high and it is a very safe country. In addition, the world’s largest companies have their headquarters here. As might be expected, IT is one of the highest-paid industries. The big salary increase is expected also in the field of security and process automation.