Poland is Hiring Foreign Workers for These 45 Jobs

Despite securing the second-lowest unemployment rate in the EU, Poland is grappling with a shortage of workers across various sectors.

Industries actively seeking new hires include healthcare, physical labor, and the food and services sector. The Ministry of Family and Social Policy in Poland emphasized the persisting scarcity of personnel in the country’s labor market in a press release issued this September.

However, Polish authorities acknowledge that the inclusion of foreigners, particularly Ukrainian citizens, has alleviated these shortages, with employers expressing considerable interest in hiring them.

Poland has also distinguished itself by ranking fifth in terms of the economic activity rates of foreigners among all EU Member States, reaching 81.6% in 2022, surpassing the EU average of 72.5%. This suggests that foreigners aspiring to live and work in Poland may benefit from labor shortages, increasing their chances of obtaining a visa if their profession aligns with the country’s labor needs.

Key sectors experiencing the most significant shortages, as identified by the European Labour Authority (EURES), include healthcare, construction, skilled trades, and IT. In-demand occupations range from Woodworking Machine Tool Setters and Operators to Finance Managers.

Occupations in High Demand in Poland:

1. Woodworking Machine Tool Setters and Operators
2. Wood Treaters
3. Wood Processing Plant Operators
4. Welders and Flame Cutters
5. Vocational Education Teachers
6. Toolmakers and Related Workers
7. Teaching Professionals Not Elsewhere Classified
8. Stock Clerks
9. Sheet Metal Workers
10. Roofers
11. Psychologists
12. Plumbers and Pipe Fitters
13. Physiotherapy Technicians and Assistants
14. Physiotherapists
15. Payroll Clerks
16. Painters and Related Workers
17. Motor Vehicle Mechanics and Repairers
18. Midwifery Professionals
19. Metal Working Machine Tool Setters and Operators
20. Metal Polishers, Wheel Grinders, and Tool Sharpeners
21. Lifting Truck Operators
22. Legal and Related Associate Professionals
23. House Builders
24. Heavy Truck and Lorry Drivers
25. Handicraft Workers in Wood, Basketry, and Related Fields
26. Generalist Medical Practitioners
27. Floor Layers and Tile Setters
28. Finance Managers
29. Earthmoving and Related Plant Operators
30. Cooks
31. Concrete Placers, Concrete Finishers, and Related Workers
32. Civil Engineering Labourers
33. Carpenters and Joiners
34. Cabinet-makers and Related Workers
35. Bus and Tram Drivers
36. Building Structure Cleaners
37. Building Frame and Related Trades Workers
38. Building Construction Labourers
39. Building and Related Electricians
40. Bricklayers and Related Workers
41. Bakers, Pastry-cooks, and Confectionery Makers
42. Ambulance Workers
43. Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics
44. Accounting Associate Professionals
45. Accounting and Bookkeeping Clerks

For those requiring a visa to work in Poland, individuals from EU/EEA countries or Switzerland are exempt. Non-EU citizens must have a work permit applied for by Polish employers before obtaining a work visa at the Polish Embassy. Before initiating the visa application process, foreigners must select one of the five types of work permits that align with their job circumstances.

Poland continues to attract individuals seeking new employment opportunities, evidenced by the issuance of thousands of national visas in the past year and the first half of 2023. Notably, in 2022, Poland granted 138,789 work visas to Ukrainians, 120,914 national visas to Belarusians, and 10,946 national visas to Turks.