Companies are experiencing a lack of workers, especially in the processing and logistics sectors. Demand for labor is increasing, wages are rising, unemployment is still historically low, and the government is implementing new restrictions related to visa-free movement.
The unemployment rate registered in July and August 2023 and 2024 stood at 5.0% – according to the Central Statistical Office. The number of registered unemployed in July 2024 was 765.4 thousand compared to 762.2 thousand in the previous month and 782.4 thousand a year earlier. In July 2024, the average employment in the enterprise sector was 0.4% lower compared to July 2023 and amounted to 6488.8 thousand full-time positions. The average monthly salary in the enterprise sector in July 2024, compared to July 2023, rose nominally by 10.6% and amounted to PLN 8278.63 gross.
At the same time, the authorities are increasingly tightening and complicating the process of obtaining visas for foreigners, such as recently for Colombians – overnight the government introduced a visa requirement. According to data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration, there was a significant decrease in the number of visas issued in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. A total of 31% fewer visas were issued in all categories (a decrease from 295,892 to 203,810), for national visas, this number decreased by 34% (from 239,947 to 158,312).
“Unfortunately, macroeconomic data does not correspond with government decisions,” comments Yuriy Grygorenko, chief analyst at Gremi Personal, an international employment agency. “This means that there is a shortage of workers, the needs of companies are growing, as are wages, and only the influx of workers from abroad is changing – in short, it is becoming increasingly difficult. The ministry also announced that work on the Migration Strategy is proceeding according to plan, but the most important issue is not the economic one, but security. In our opinion, one does not exclude the other, as a company we have many good practices in terms of efficient integration of foreigners in the labor market for the benefit of both sides.”
Source: https://managerplus.pl/brak-rak-do-pracy-w-przetworstwie-i-logistyce-15796
