Tuesday, 14 October 2025
After months of muted activity, Poland’s job market remains steady but shows increasing signs of strain, according to the latest Job Offer Barometer compiled by the University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszów and the Bureau of Investment and Economic Cycles. The index, which tracks changes in the number of online job advertisements, edged up slightly in September to 258 points from 254.9 in August — a marginal rise that analysts describe as part of a stagnant pattern rather than a sustained recovery.
The modest increase in job postings contrasts with a slowly rising unemployment rate, which climbed for the third consecutive month in August to 5.6%. Excluding seasonal workers, the figure suggests that labour demand is weakening even as employers continue to advertise at similar levels. Economists warn that the combination of stable vacancies and higher unemployment could indicate the onset of a cyclical slowdown. “The job market clock has shifted closer to signalling a downturn,” the report notes.
Across occupational groups, trends remain mixed. After five months of decline, demand for manual labourers increased slightly, though overall activity still trails its long-term upward trend. In contrast, professions requiring technical or scientific training have seen job postings rise for ten consecutive months, particularly in construction and research roles. Yet even here, total offers remain below pre-2022 levels, underscoring a cautious hiring environment. IT positions, especially programming jobs, dipped for the first time in nearly a year, while postings for engineers and occupational safety experts also softened.
Sectors linked to social sciences, law, and services show minimal movement. The number of job offers for lawyers, marketers, real estate agents and human resources specialists continues to decline, though corporate purchasing roles have shown a slight recovery after a prolonged downturn. In customer service and call centre work, activity remains stable but without significant growth.
Within the services segment, modest rebounds were observed in media and logistics — industries that had faced earlier declines — but the tourism sector suffered its fourth consecutive drop in job offers, reflecting waning demand ahead of the winter season. Education remains one of the few areas maintaining strong recruitment, with the number of advertised vacancies still near record highs.
Despite the latest uptick in the Job Offer Barometer, experts view the data as a warning rather than a sign of improvement. The labour market’s apparent calm may precede broader weakening, as companies brace for slower growth and potential layoffs. The next update of the Barometer, based on October data, is scheduled for publication on 17 November 2025.
The Job Offer Barometer is a joint research project of the University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszów and the Bureau of Investment and Economic Cycles, analysing monthly online job listings and seasonally adjusted labour market trends.
