The Polish labour market remains in good shape. According to data from the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy, despite announcements of group layoffs in selected sectors of the economy, the situation continues to be stable, and the country remains among the EU leaders with the lowest unemployment rates.
Group Layoffs – Most Concern Changes in Employment Conditions
From January to September 2025, employers reported plans to include 89,500 employees in group layoffs. However, the ministry emphasized that as many as 65% of these notifications referred to changes in employment or pay conditions, rather than definitive dismissals.
A significant portion of this year’s announcements came from the restructuring of Poczta Polska (the Polish Post), which has notably influenced the overall statistics without accurately reflecting the broader labour market situation. In September 2025, 28 companies reported plans for group layoffs involving 2,000 people — a 44.9% decrease compared to the same period last year. The highest number of reports came from the Silesian (24.8%), Greater Poland (21.2%), and West Pomeranian (12.0%) regions.
Poland Among EU Leaders
According to Eurostat data, Poland’s unemployment rate in August 2025 stood at 3.2%, placing the country among the top performers in the European Union — alongside the Czech Republic and just behind Malta and Slovenia (2.9%). Poland thus remains in the group of EU member states with the lowest unemployment rates.
Economic Transformation and New Skills
The ministry notes that the observed changes in employment largely result from restructuring and technological transformation processes. These include reduced production in response to economic shifts, as well as automation and robotization in industry and the digitalization of services, including banking and finance.
While such transformations may lead to temporary job reductions, in the long term they foster the creation of new positions requiring higher qualifications — particularly in areas linked to digital technologies and advanced industry.
Labour Market Proves Resilient
Most group layoffs occur in large metropolitan areas such as Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław, and Łódź. These cities also offer the highest number of job opportunities, helping people affected by restructuring find new employment relatively quickly.
The number of people registered as unemployed for more than three years remains below 900,000, while the average registered unemployment rate stands at around 5.2%. According to the Ministry, this demonstrates the strong resilience of the Polish labour market, even amid global economic uncertainty.
Source: CEO.com.pl
