15:10 8 March 2025
Poland’s Unemployment Rate Up to 5.4% in January
In January 2025, Poland's registered unemployment rate increased to 5.4 percent, up 0.3 percentage points from December, according to the Central Statistical Office (GUS). The number of unemployed individuals surpassed 837,600, rising from 786,200 in the previous month.
GUS data shows 131,100 new unemployment registrations, a 38.8 percent increase from December but 2.7 percent lower than a year ago. Meanwhile, job vacancies fell to 88,500, marking a 10.6 percent y/y decline.
Economist Mariusz Zielonka attributes the rise to seasonal factors, such as expiring contracts and job activation programs ending. He also notes that the minimum wage hike may be pushing some workers into the informal economy.
Additionally, 48 companies announced 12,700 planned layoffs, with 8,500 jobs lost in the public sector. In contrast, January 2024 saw only 2,500 planned private-sector layoffs.
