What to expect when visiting Poland

It’s a large country with plenty to offer, so you won’t get bored of the locals, the scenery, or how easy it is to maintain a decent work/life balance. Speaking of its size, did you know that Poland has a population of over 38.5 million people and spans over 312,679 square kilometres? In fact, it’s the 9th largest country in Europe.

With this in mind, it also has the 9^th largest economy and is well-known for being open to hosting an array of businesses, no matter their status (start-ups are just as welcome as established companies).

Poland entered the European Union in 2004, the United Nations in 1945 and NATO more recently in 1999, so those looking to relocate have the peace of mind that comes with the connectivity to these institutions and more.

Polish is the only official language spoken here, although plenty of locals speak English, so integration shouldn’t be too much of a problem. The chosen currency is the Euro and in comparison to other similar countries, the cost of living is considered to be not only affordable, but low. If you’re looking for somewhere with fair food and rental prices that still has the facilities you’d expect (like entertainment venues), Poland can be a worthwhile selection. Of course, this also means that wages will be lower than in other destinations, but the work/life balance and cost of living are comparative, so you won’t feel like you’re missing out.

In terms of religion, the country is predominantly Roman Catholic (86.7%), so you will be able to tune in to Catholic TV stations and the Catholic radio station if you’d like.

Working in Poland

If everything you’ve read so far is piquing your interest, you may want to know a little bit more about what it’s like to work in Poland. The good news is that there are a few major industries that may align with the roles you are hoping to undertake. There are jobs in:

• Machine building
• Iron and steel
• Coal mining
• Chemicals
• Shipbuilding
• Food processing
• Glass
• Textiles

And there are so many more out there that it should be straightforward to find a position in a niche you are interested in. As it stands, the majority of the Polish workforce is found in the services sector and according to the European Structural and Investment Funds report, the areas that they are focused on for investment are education, infrastructure, research and innovation.

It is the cultural norm to treat business relationships formally, so remember that job titles are considered prestigious and should be used when addressing people of importance within companies.

It may be worthwhile to know that both citizens and residents will need to pay income tax in Poland and the top personal income rate in 2018 was levied at 85,528 PLN per year. This is an average of 32% of a standard yearly income. There is a social security system in place that covers factors like sickness, parental leave, old age and accident insurance – and both employees and businesses contribute to this to ensure everybody benefits.

A Growing Economy

Poland was once ruled by a communist government, but since this was abolished, it has gone from strength to strength. For many, the switch from a centrally planned economy to a capitalist market economy was a daunting experience, but it was embraced and Poland has been steadily developing into a functional, attractive working structure. The European Union was pivotal in this unprecedented turnaround between 2014 and 2017 and the support from the EU’s public investment help Poland to establish itself as one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe. To reinforce the good news, Poland was the only EU country to avoid recession in 2007/8, even when more stable economies like that of the UK were struggling.

With all of the above in mind, it’s clear to see that as a country, Poland has proven a high level of resilience and continues to function as a stable economy. With a large domestic market and a diverse yet well-educated and professional workforce, not only will foreign nationals want to work here, but entrepreneurs will see the potential for business, too.

Why choose to live and work in Poland?

Poland has experienced many ups and downs over the centuries, and while there have been some dark times, these have only served to provide the Polish people with a strong heritage and diverse cultural backgrounds. There is so much to love about this country visually and at its heart and once you stop by, you’ll never want to leave.

A quick breakdown of the benefits of living in Poland are as follows:

• It’s a well-established European country
• Cost of living is particularly attractive
• It has one of the world’s fastest-growing economies
• Property prices are competitive and rent is low
• The crime rate is generally low at 0.70%
• There is a significant amount of investment going into the education sector, so while schools are good, funding is helping them to improve even further
• Food costs are low
• It’s a stunning place to live