Poland: An international perspective

Labour migration

In 2015, fewer than 200,000 foreign workers were registered with Poland’s social security system (ZUS). Today, that figure exceeds 1.13 million. Poland now records one of the highest employment rates among immigrants in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), at 78.4%, compared with a European Union (EU) average of 67.9%.

Among displaced Ukrainians, employment levels are similarly high, at approximately 78%. Indicators of longer-term integration are also notable. More than 90% of Ukrainian refugee children in Poland attend Polish schools. By comparison, employment among Ukrainian refugees in Germany remains at around 31%, while fewer than 30% of their children are enrolled in German schools. While such comparisons inevitably simplify complex national contexts, they nonetheless shape how Poland’s labour market capacity is perceived internationally.

Return migration

For the first time in several decades, Poland is recording a net return of its own citizens from Western Europe. Wage growth, combined with a cost of living estimated to be around 35% lower than in the United Kingdom, has altered the economic calculus for many Polish professionals abroad.

Beyond income convergence, return migration reflects factors such as living standards, personal safety, and cultural continuity. For external observers, the significance of return migration lies in what it signals about Poland’s relative attractiveness as a place to live and work.

Skilled mobility

Poland’s position within the Schengen Area also plays a role. For many internationally mobile specialists, the country is viewed not necessarily as a final destination, but as a credible entry point into a broader European professional environment.

Investment frameworks

From an investor’s perspective, Poland is often assessed through the lens of available public support instruments rather than headline tax rates alone. The Polish Investment Zone, offering income tax exemptions for up to 15 years, continues to feature prominently in investment analyses, particularly for manufacturing, technology and research and development intensive projects.

Additional mechanisms, including enhanced deductions for research and development and a preferential 5% tax rate for income derived from qualifying intellectual property rights, contribute to Poland’s positioning as a jurisdiction that actively supports innovation. At the same time, investors remain attentive to the consistency of administrative practice, an area that continues to influence risk assessments.

Real estate

Poland’s real estate market is increasingly evaluated in structural rather than cyclical terms. In 2024, foreign buyers from more than 100 countries acquired over 17,300 residential properties, representing approximately 10% of all such transactions.

This activity coincides with a persistent housing deficit estimated at between 1.5 and 2.2 million units. Although around 200,000 new apartments were delivered in 2024, primarily in major urban centres, supply continues to lag behind demand, particularly in the rental segment. In this context, net returns in the range of 5 to 7% in metropolitan areas are often interpreted as a function of long-term imbalance rather than short-term market volatility.

Poland’s changing position

Poland is no longer assessed solely through the prism of convergence with Western Europe. In certain areas, it is increasingly evaluated on its own terms, particularly in relation to labour market absorption, operational costs, and regulatory accessibility. From an external standpoint, the country is often seen as combining economic ambition with a degree of institutional stability not taken for granted a decade ago.

For international decision makers, this evolving perception matters less as an issue of image and more as a recalibration of assumptions. Understanding how Poland is now benchmarked by investors, employers, and mobile professionals alike has become an increasingly relevant component of regional strategy.

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Andrzej Tokaj has built a leading cross-border legal practice, and advises investors navigating Central European markets.