The first half of 2025 brought the expected revival in the Polish IT job market. According to data from the portal justjoin.it:
- The number of job offers increased by 68% compared to the same period last year,
- The most popular specializations were related to artificial intelligence, data analysis, and programming,
- Over half of the offers (52.3%) were dedicated to senior specialists, yet juniors were the most active applicants, applying on average twice as often as their more experienced counterparts,
- For the first time, the hybrid work model surpassed remote work in job offers.
AI and Data Driving the Future
Among the categories with the highest number of job postings were Data (9.7% of total offers), Java and JavaScript – with 9.4% and 8.3%, respectively. Employers also sought specialists in Analytics, DevOps, and Python. The artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) category showed significant growth dynamics, with the largest acceleration in new job postings occurring in April, May, and June.
The Polish IT market in the first half of 2025 reflects the global expansion linked to AI development. The 68% increase in offers on justjoin.it compared to the same period last year is a result of the “AI fever.” Companies are currently intensively implementing AI and automating business processes. Future technologies — AI, data science, and advanced programming — are becoming growth engines, says Paweł Baraniewicz, Head of Engineering at justjoin.it.
Seniors Lead the Market, Juniors Show Great Appetite
In the first half of 2025, the majority of offers were addressed to senior specialists – 52.3%, mids to 41.8%, and juniors, similar to previous periods, only 5.9%. However, it is worth noting that despite their low percentage share, the number of offers for juniors grew by 20% compared to the first half of the previous year.
Moreover, despite much higher demand for seniors, juniors were significantly more active in recruitment, applying more than twice as often as experienced specialists.
“Juniors definitely have a harder time today; however, the ambition to enter the industry does not diminish, which generates strong competition. The definition of juniors is also changing. Expectations go beyond basics, requiring knowledge of AI tools, thorough tracking of trends, a ready portfolio, and the ability to act quickly. Still, despite the low overall share of offers (5.9%), we see a 20% year-over-year increase in junior job postings. This signals that the market still has room for new talents, although only the most committed will have a chance,” says Paulina Świątkiewicz, HR Business Partner at justjoin.it.
Salaries See a Slight Increase
The first half of 2025 also brought salary increases in the IT sector. The average salary reached 22,769 PLN — 12% higher than the same period last year (20,376 PLN). The highest-paid specializations remain Java, JavaScript, Security, as well as Architecture, DevOps, and Data.
Seniors in the best-paid categories earned record salaries. Java developers earned on average from 30,000 PLN (B2B contracts) up to 41,000 PLN (employment contracts, UoP)[1], JavaScript specialists earned between 22,600 PLN (UoP) and 29,000 PLN (B2B), also recording the largest pay raises. Security experts earned between 24,500 PLN (UoP) and 27,000 PLN (B2B), though wage growth dynamics in this category slowed somewhat. High rates were also offered to IT architects (around 27,000 PLN UoP and 30,000 PLN B2B), DevOps specialists (26,000 PLN on both UoP and B2B), and data analysts (23,500 PLN UoP and 26,000 PLN B2B).
An average salary of 22,770 PLN (+12% y/y) positions Poland as an attractive tech hub in Central and Eastern Europe, combining competitive costs with high quality. Persistently high salaries in Java, Data, Architecture, DevOps, and Security categories indicate a shift from outsourcing toward strategic competencies. A paradox of the market is seen in the imbalance between demand and supply: despite over 52% of offers targeting experienced specialists, juniors apply twice as often. This points to a structural issue – a shortage of experienced specialists alongside an influx of beginners, who are being increasingly displaced by AI solutions. However, in the long term, a lack of juniors today may mean a shortage of seniors tomorrow, comments Paweł Baraniewicz.
Hybrid Work Becomes the New Standard
Interestingly, the hybrid model dominated the IT job market for the first time – it was offered most frequently (47.1% of offers), surpassing fully remote work (46%). Only about 7% of positions required employee presence in the office. This marks a historic turning point – flexibility remains the standard but in a limited hybrid form, indicating growing employer expectations for partial team presence in offices.
What Awaits IT in the Second Half of the Year?
The spectacular 68% increase in job offers shows that the industry has not only recovered losses but is entering a new development phase driven by artificial intelligence. In the second half of the year, we expect an even greater acceleration in AI/ML areas and market consolidation around the most sought-after specializations. Companies will increasingly compete aggressively for seniors while raising the bar for juniors. It is also possible that the hybrid model will become the standard in IT, fully replacing remote and on-site work, says Piotr Nowosielski, CEO of justjoin.it.
[1] All amounts labeled as UoP are gross salaries, while B2B amounts are net invoices (excluding VAT).
Source: https://ceo.com.pl/rekordowy-wzrost-ofert-pracy-w-it-w-pierwszej-polowie-2025-roku-53799
