Poland is a country in central Europe with a population of over 38 million. Its capital is Warsaw and its official language is Polish. After joining the EU in 2004, Poland saw new opportunities for economic development and resolving labor issues. While unemployment rose after the fall of socialism, it has since decreased and now is below the European average. Knowledge of foreign languages and IT skills are valuable for finding employment in Poland's growing economy.

2. COUNTRY CONTEXT
 Capital:
Warsaw
 Geographical size:
312 679 km2
 Population:
38 005 614 (2015)
 Official EU language(s):
Polish
 Political system:
parliamentary republic
 EU member country since:
1 May 2004
 Currency:
Polish Złoty PLN

3. Overview
Poland is a country in central
Europe, bordered by
Germany to the west, the
Czech Republic and Slovakia
to the south, Ukraine and
Belarus to the east and to the
north, Lithuania and the
Russian exclave of
Kaliningrad. Poland has a
long coast on the Baltic Sea.

4. Social economy in Poland - development of the sector
 Poland’s entrance into the European Union in May
2004 brought new opportunities for resolving the
problems on the Polish labour market and improving
the living standards of the population. The structural
funding that was made available contributed to
raising living standards not only in very tangible
ways (ex. by improving and expanding
communication, technology and administrative
infrastructure), but also by investing in research and
development of new systemic models and
approaches to more effectively counteract social
problems.

5. Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the market
value of all final goods and services produced in a period (quarterly or
yearly). Nominal GDP estimates are commonly used to determine the
economic performance of a whole country or region, and to make
international comparisons. Nominal GDP per capita does not, however,
reflect differences in the cost of living and the inflation rates of the
countries; therefore using a GDP PPP per capita basis is arguably more
useful when comparing differences in living standards between nations.

6. Working in Poland
 Unemployment in Poland appeared after the fall of
socialisism, although the economy previously had high levels
of hidden unemployment. The unemployment rate then fell to
10% by the late 1990s and then increased again in the first few
years of the 21st century, reaching a peak of 20% in 2002. It
has since decreased, although unevenly. Since 2008 the
unemployment rate in Poland has consistently been below
European average. The rate fell below 8% in 2015, leading to
the possibility of a labor deficit.
 Poland is the gateway between Western and Eastern Europe
and is part of an evolving region with a growing economy.
 To improve your chances of getting a good job in Poland, try
to gain extra qualifications and work experience. Knowledge
and practical skills in a certain sector will help and foreign
language and IT skills are popular with employers.

7. Unemployment in Poland

8. Ernst & Young report
 According to an Ernst & Young report, Poland ranks
7th in the world in terms of investment
attractiveness. However, Ernst & Young's 2010
European attractiveness survey reported that Poland
saw a 52% decrease in Foreign Direct Investment
(FDI) job creation and a 42% decrease in number of
FDI projects since 2008. According to the OECD
(www.oecd.org) report, in 2004 Poles were one of
the hardest working nations in Europe. Yet, the
ability to establish and conduct business easily has
been cause for economic hardship.

9. Famous Polish People
 Adam Mickiewicz
 Henryk Sienkiewicz
 Fryderyk Chopin
 Mikołaj Kopernik
 Maria Curie-Skłodowska
 Andrzej Gołota
 Adam Małysz
 Kazimierz Deyna
 Zbigniew Boniek
 Robert Lewandowski

10. B Y P A T R Y K B A N A K I E W I C Z , J A K U B C I O Ł A K
F R O M G I M N A Z J U M I N P I E K O S Z O W , P O L A N D
S O U R C E
H T T P S : / / E N . W I K I P E D I A . O R G / W I K I / E C O N O M Y _ O F
_ P O L A N D # L A B O U R _ M A R K E T _ A N D _ W A G E S
THE END