18 Jobs That Make It Easier for Foreigners to Obtain a Polish Work Visa

Poland’s unemployment rate as of March 2024 was 2.9 per cent, the lowest among EU countries, according to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

Despite this, several industries across the country are facing a shortage of workers, Schengen.News reports.

The 2023 EURES report on shortages and surpluses identified 28 shortage occupations in Poland, mainly related to skilled crafts and trades, education, healthcare, manufacturing, and transportation.

In addition, the Ministry of Family and Social Policy in Poland highlighted that the country’s labour market has experienced a shortage of personnel for years now in a press release issued in September 2023.

According to a survey by ManpowerGroup, employers continuously report difficulties in recruiting workers with required competencies – 72 per cent of employers experienced such problems in 2023.

This implies that foreigners who intend to live and work in Poland may benefit from labour shortages and have a higher chance of obtaining a visa if their profession aligns with the country’s labour shortages.

According to the latest EURES report, some of the occupations grappling with labour shortages in Poland are as follows:

1. Building construction labourers
2. Professional drivers (heavy truck/lorry/bus/tram)
3. Building and related electricians
4. Metal working machine tool setters and operators
5. Welders and flame cutters
6. Roofers
7. Carpenters and joiners
8. House builders
9. Cooks
10. Accounting and bookkeeping clerks
11. Social work associate professionals
12. Psychologists
13. Teaching professionals not elsewhere classified
14. Special needs teachers
15. Primary/Secondary/Vocational teachers
16. Physiotherapists
17. Nursing professionals
18. Specialist medical practitioners

On the other hand, Poland has not reported any surplus occupations as per this EURES edition.

Despite Increase in Foreign Workers, Poland May Need Additional Workforce

About 1.3 million migrants were lawfully working in Poland at the end of October 2023, according to the country’s Social Insurance Institution (ZUS). Such a figure, which represents nearly seven per cent of the Polish workforce, also marks a surge of 61,000 workers since the end of 2022.

As cited by Rzeczpospolita newspaper, ZUS further revealed that most of the registered foreign workers were from Ukraine (761 000), followed by Belarus (128 000) and Georgia (27 000).

Moreover, official statistics indicate that the number of workers coming from Asian countries, especially from India, is quickly increasing.

Despite this increase in the foreign workforce, several industries in Poland are dealing with staff deficit. According to Krzysztof Inglot, the founder of the employment agency Personnel Service, one reason is the shortage of local workers.

We see a deepening deficit of Poles in the labour market, and increasingly, we also observe a significant shortage of workers from Ukraine. This is causing an increase in demand for workers from other countries.

As further reported, the demand for foreign workers is distributed across several sectors all year round. According to the director of the international recruitment Gremi Personal agency, Anna Dzhobolda, some industries that employ most foreigners include manufacturing, the food sector, e-commerce, and logistics.

Who Needs a Visa in Order to Work in Poland?

Individuals from EU/EEA countries or Switzerland are exempt from the requirement to obtain a visa to work in Poland.

Meanwhile, citizens who do not belong to any of the mentioned countries are required a visa in order to work within Polish countries.

In this instance, Polish employers must apply for a work permit on behalf of the potential employee. After the work permit is issued, the employee can apply for a work visa at the Polish Embassy.

However, before starting the process of applying for a work visa, foreigners must choose one of the five types of work permits, that align with their job circumstances.