Poland’s registered unemployment rose to 6.0% in January 2026, the highest increase in five years, as companies become more cautious about hiring.
Why is unemployment rising?
The labor market, after several years of low unemployment, is entering a phase of greater caution. Companies no longer recruit “excessively,” personnel decisions are more considered, and budgets are calculated more carefully. What we observe is not a wave of layoffs, but a slowdown in new recruitments. In many organizations, vacancies are being frozen, processes are extended, and approvals for new positions go through multiple levels of authorization. This is compounded by classic seasonality: the beginning of the year always brings corrections in statistics. However, in 2026, it is clearly evident that companies are operating in “cautious optimism” mode. This is not a labor market crisis. I wouldn’t call it an alarm either, but rather a signal of changing pace. This is a moment of verification of efficiency, both on the part of employers and candidates. Things are different. And this word is key here.
Young Workers in the Job Market
I wouldn’t say that finding a job is more difficult today, only that it requires a more professional approach. Two, three years ago, the market was more spontaneous and therefore also more open and absorbing. Today it is more organized and conscious. Companies more clearly define position profiles and competencies they actually need. This means greater selectivity, but also greater transparency in the rules of the game.
Recruitment technology has also changed. CVs are increasingly analyzed first by ATS or AI-based tools that search for specific keywords and evaluate fit to job requirements. This has a real impact on applications from young candidates. Those who understand how these mechanisms work can consciously prepare their documents, use language of results and competencies, thereby increasing their visibility in the process. Young people adapt quickly to such changes – they naturally use technology, analyze job postings, and tailor their applications. This is their advantage.
How Employers Hire Young People in 2026
In this area, I observe a clear change on the employers’ side: companies today create more consciously designed junior positions than they did a few years ago. Instead of expecting a “ready employee,” they increasingly build developmental structures – onboarding programs and AI-supported internal training systems. This facilitates onboarding, progress monitoring, personalized learning, and also saves money. Organizations are more open to investing in young employees because the adaptation process is faster and more controlled.
Which Industries Are Still Hiring?
The labor market in 2026 does not behave uniformly across all industries. In some sectors, demand remains high, while in others there is a clear slowdown in new recruitments.
Stable situations primarily concern healthcare, care, transport, logistics, and technical professions. For years, these areas have lacked workers, and this problem has not disappeared. Companies still have difficulty finding appropriately qualified people, so demand remains high there regardless of the general economic situation.
Role of Foreign Workers
The growing role of foreign workers is a clear trend visible on the Polish labor market for several years, and everything indicates it will continue in 2026. According to ZUS data and labor market analyses, the number of foreigners registered for social insurance systematically increases and already exceeds one million people. It is they who largely support production, logistics, warehouses, seasonal work, and part of construction. Without this support, many companies would have serious difficulties maintaining operational continuity.
The reason is simple: society is aging, and the number of people of working age is decreasing. Therefore, even if statistics show a slight increase in unemployment, real demand for workers in operational sectors remains high. The situation is different in part of retail, selected segments of e-commerce, or services. There, companies approach hiring more cautiously, more often suspend new positions, and focus on increasing the efficiency of existing teams.
IT Sector in 2026
The IT industry has gone through a period of intense growth followed by correction. Today the situation is stabilizing, but there has been a clear change in the profile of candidates sought. Specialists are still needed – especially in areas like cybersecurity, data analysis, or AI-based solutions. However, there is less room for general profiles and more for experts with specific specializations. The most valued today are professionals who can use modern AI tools to increase their work efficiency. These are people who deliver more results in less time and actually increase productivity. It is precisely this combination of specialization and technological proficiency that currently provides the greatest advantage in the market.
At the managerial level, I observe another change: companies less often create new management positions, but when they do recruit, they expect greater responsibility and real impact on financial results. A leader today must primarily deliver concrete results.
2026 Labor Market Summary
A clear picture is currently emerging: companies are moving from a phase of employment growth to a phase of structural reorganization and are cautiously announcing new vacancies.
In 2026, companies are reducing the creation of new positions and analyzing each employment decision more carefully. This is evident in fewer new vacancies and extended recruitment processes. Positions are mainly created when they are directly related to revenue, cost optimization, or the implementation of specific competencies.
The importance of hard skills and work results is clearly increasing. Candidates are evaluated based on projects, results, implementations, and business impact. The number of years of experience alone is no longer an argument. Areas of responsibility are increasingly combined – one role covers several areas. Companies are looking for independent individuals who understand the financial and operational context of their work. This is a competence market where the employment decision must “close” business-wise.
