Average and minimum wages in Poland by profession

After Poland's accession to the Schengen countries, its economy grew significantly, which affected the standard of living. Thus, the average earnings in Poland is one of the highest among the countries of Eastern Europe.

Economic situation and incomes of the population today

Poland is one of the few countries with a steadily growing economy, even in times of crisis. In 2017, GDP growth exceeded 5%, in 2021 it is projected to increase by another 4%. This is due to its favorable geographic location, attractive investment climate and economic policy.

Thanks to timely reforms, the incomes of Poles are constantly growing. The average salary in Poland has already exceeded 1000 € per month... On the other hand, a significant proportion of indigenous people move to Western European countries in search of sources of higher income.. This creates an opportunity for labor migration to Poland for representatives of various professions from neighboring countries.

Salary per month by occupation in 2021

The state currency and the only means of payment in Poland is the zloty. However, for convenience, all salaries are shown in euros. Their level is subject to only minor fluctuations due to the stability of the Polish national currency.

The most demanded specialists in Poland in 2021: medical workers, construction workers, industrial workers (seamstresses, machine operators, assemblers), drivers.

Minimum wage

From January 2019, the minimum wage per hour is PLN 13.7 (about 3.2 €), which corresponds to the average monthly earnings in 2100 PLN (490 €). These figures reflect the gross salary, that is, the amount from which taxes, medical expenses and social benefits are calculated. According to the law, the employer does not have the right to set a lower level of remuneration on the condition of an 8-hour five-day working week.

"Net" or net salary (money that the employee receives in his hands) is about 70% from gross earnings.

Average salary

According to the latest official data, the average salary is "dirty" - 1090 € (4500 PLN), that is, the average Polish worker receives about 800 €. These figures are subject to significant fluctuations depending on the region, profession, length of service, age, gender (men receive 20% more women), etc.

On the positive side, the average salary of Poles is constantly growing. This achieves a decrease in emigration and the attraction of representatives of demanded professions to the country.

Average starting salary

Upon employment, a new employee earns on 10–20% (sometimes 40%) is less than the average representative of his specialty with sufficient experience. The average starting salary in Poland for migrants may be slightly lower. For example, a Ukrainian employed in construction in 2017 received 600–800 €. It's on 100–200 € less than a Pole of the same profession.

Maximum salary

The maximum salary level varies significantly depending on the profession. A highly qualified hairdresser can receive up to 800-1000 €, builder (when performing a large amount of work) - up to 2000-2500 €, teacher - up to 900 €. At the same time, the maximum salary of representatives of the IT industry, doctors, managers, real estate specialists often reaches 200-3000 €.

Labor remuneration by city and region

As in almost any country in the world, residents of the capital and large cities have the highest earnings in Poland. The five richest citizens of the country include residents of Warsaw (1335 €), Katowice (1227 €), Gdansk (1190 €), Wroclaw (1116 €) and Poznan (1110 €).

The table shows the average salary depending on the region, taking into account all settlements.

Payroll taxes

Citizens and residents must pay taxes to the state treasury from all sources of income. These are people who continuously reside in the country for more than 183 days a year. In the case of a non-resident, only income earned in Poland is subject to taxation.

To simplify the procedure for collecting taxes, each taxpayer is assigned a personal number in the database - PESEL.

Poland has bilateral treaties with 92 countries (including members of the CIS), which allow avoiding double taxation in the country of permanent residence.

Income tax

Poland has a progressive taxation system, according to which taxes increase along with the growth of the income received. The threshold value that determines how much people are obliged to pay to the budget is 85,528 PLN annual income (about 20,000 €). If you earn less than this amount, the income tax is 18%.

If the annual salary exceeds PLN 85,528, the income tax is calculated according to the following formula:

• 85528 ​​PLN taxed 18% tax deductible;
• income in excess of this amount - 32% tax deductible.

To reduce the tax burden, the Polish authorities allow the filing of joint tax returns by a spouse or a parent with a child under the age of 25, subject to certain conditions. In this case, the threshold value is doubled (PLN 171,056). This allows you to pay taxes on 18% rate, even if the income of one of the applicants is higher 85528 ​​PLN.

The income tax rate for legal entities (including individual entrepreneurs) is 19% from net profit. Moreover, the income of legal entities received in forestry and agriculture is exempted from taxation.

Social contributions and other taxes. What is tax free

In addition to income tax, about 15% gross earnings account for social, medical and insurance payments - ZUS (social insurance system). Some of them are paid by the employer, others - by the employee himself.

The most significant social payments:

• to the pension fund - 9,76%, the employer pays the same amount;
• health insurance - 2,5%;
• disability insurance - 1,5%;
• medical insurance - 1,25%.

The employer bears the tax burden for accident insurance, payment of contributions to the payroll, etc.

Taxation in Poland is not subject 3091 zloty (720 €)from which income tax is not paid.

The ratio of salary and living expenses

Thanks to universal insurance, basic health care is provided free of charge.

• Polish residents spend about 30% of their earnings on food. Food products in the country are of high quality and prices are lower than in other EU countries.
• Utilities are paid at full cost and are a significant part of the cost, especially during the winter season. They can be up to 25% from the salary. For an apartment of about 50 sq. m. you have to pay monthly 80–130 €.
• Lack of own living space entails the need to rent real estate. Its cost varies depending on the city, region, area, etc. The monthly fee for a 1-room apartment in a residential area of ​​Warsaw is about 300-370 €, on the outskirts of Krakow - 250–300 €, in the capitals of small voivodeships (Bialystok, Lublin) - 180–200 €.
• With continued use of public transport, the cost can also be quite substantial. The cheapest single ticket in Warsaw costs 3.4 zlotys, and a pass for all types of transport in the city and the outskirts costs 210 zlotys.

Unemployment Rate and Prospects for Migrants

According to the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy of Poland, the unemployment rate in the country is 6.3%. Despite this, Poland needs an influx of labor. This is due to the migration of able-bodied citizens to Western Europe, the aging of the indigenous population and demographic problems.

The economic and social policy of the state contributes to the inflow of qualified personnel from neighboring countries and the growth of the welfare of the inhabitants of Poland.

Poland is one of the most dynamically developing countries in Europe. The steadily growing economy of this country can provide broad prospects for skilled workers.