Poland’s Employment Stable in April 2025, With Shifts Across Sectors

Poland’s labour market remained stable in April 2025, with 15.08 million people employed in the national economy, according to data from Statistics Poland (GUS). The figure was unchanged from both April 2024 and March 2025, highlighting steady overall employment despite sectoral shifts.

Men continued to make up the majority of the workforce, accounting for 52.6 percent of all employed. Compared with April 2024, the number of employed women rose by 0.3 percent, while male employment fell by the same proportion. The average age of workers also increased to 43 years, reflecting demographic ageing and longer participation in the workforce.

The structure of employment by sector showed modest but significant changes. Manufacturing remained the largest employer with 2.76 million people, or 18.3 percent of the total, though employment in the sector declined by 0.8 percent year on year. Trade and motor vehicle repair accounted for 14.4 percent, down 2.2 percent from April 2024. The steepest fall was in agriculture, forestry and fishing, where employment dropped by 4 percent.

By contrast, service-oriented sectors continued to expand. Employment rose in education (up 2.8 percent), public administration and defence (up 2.1 percent), and construction (up 1 percent). Healthcare and education remained the most female-dominated industries, reinforcing long-term labour patterns.

Employees made up the dominant share of the workforce, with 11.92 million people, or 79 percent of all employed. The self-employed, including family workers, represented 20.7 percent, little changed from a year earlier.

The data underline three structural trends shaping the Polish labour market: a gradual shift away from traditional industries toward services and public administration, a narrowing gender gap as female employment rises, and a steadily ageing workforce. These factors point to longer-term challenges in sustaining productivity and labour supply, requiring policy focus on skills development, mobility, and competitiveness.

Source: GUS