Poland’s unemployment rate rose to 6.0% in January, up from 5.7% the previous month and 5.4% a year earlier — according to data released Tuesday by the Central Statistical Office (GUS). This translates to 934,100 individuals currently out of work.
The latest figure represents the highest unemployment rate Poland has seen in 53 months, dating back to September 2021.
The data aligns closely with earlier figures published by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy, which indicated 934,700 unemployed individuals. A slight downward revision of 600 people did not impact the rounded unemployment rate, which remains at 6.0%.
Job Openings Decline
While the unemployment rate remains within historically low levels, the data is concerning due to a significant decline in available job openings, suggesting limited opportunities for improvement in the near term. This trend signals potential headwinds for the Polish labor market.
Only 26,300 new job offers were reported to employment offices in January, a sharp decrease compared to the 88,500 positions available during the same period last year. The downturn in new job creation has been ongoing since October of the previous year.
Read more: Average Wages in Poland: Latest GUS Data
As of the end of January, only 26,800 positions were available for job seekers, a decrease of 27,200 year-over-year.
Long-Term Unemployment Rising
A concerning trend is the growing number of individuals without eligibility for unemployment benefits. Of the 934,100 unemployed individuals, 802,900 are not currently entitled to receive benefits, an increase of 96,000 compared to the same period last year.
This indicates a growing segment of the unemployed population has been seeking work for an extended period, exhausting their benefit entitlements. More than one year of unemployment is reported for 347,400 individuals, a rise of 41,100 year-over-year.
