Holiday saxes are no longer attractive to Poles

– With low-paid seasonal jobs in Poland, you can earn only slightly less than abroad, and sometimes practically the same – says Krzysztof Inglot, founder and expert of the employment agency Personnel Service, which sends Poles to work in countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia.

He's not the only one who's reported a decline in summer jobs abroad, which years ago motivated hundreds of thousands of people, including many students, to go abroad for "sacrifices." Back then, however, such a trip offered unskilled workers four times the salary back home, while today (also due to the weaker euro) the difference is only half that.

"While many people are still willing to travel abroad for seasonal work, there are slightly fewer of them now than two or three years ago," says Tomasz Dudek, managing director of Otto Work Force Central Europe, an agency that has been sending Poles to work in the Netherlands for years. According to him, the number of seasonal job offers in agriculture, horticulture, and processing remains similar there, so Otto Work Force compensates for the decline in Polish workers by bringing in more labor migrants from Bulgaria and Romania.

Poles are not interested in summer jobs in the West. The effect of the minimum wage increase

Our interviewees agree that the decreased interest among Poles in summer jobs in the West is primarily due to the rapid increase in the minimum wage , which this year stands at PLN 4,700 gross. Converted to euros, Poland already ranks ninth in the European Union, ahead of countries like Portugal and Greece.

As Krzysztof Inglot points out, while young people under 26 are exempt from paying personal income tax, the minimum hourly rate of PLN 30.50 gross is the net rate for them. Therefore, those who emigrate are primarily motivated by a desire to explore the world and learn the language. It's not just the wages, which, converted to euros, already back home exceed €7 per hour, slightly below the average wage for basic jobs in Germany (€9-12 net). "However, you have to factor in the higher costs of accommodation, meals, and travel," Inglot explains.

Tomasz Dudek also admits that young people working on seasonal contracts in Poland can earn just as much as they would in the West. This is especially true given that in some industries, including construction and manufacturing, the lowest wages for seasonal workers exceed the hourly minimum. "Young people without qualifications can earn 35-50 złoty net on construction sites," says Krzysztof Inglot, adding that for several years now, Poles have faced stiff competition from Ukrainian refugees in the seasonal labor market in Germany.

Interest in working abroad has declined. The fall in inflation has helped.

Kamil Szabłowski from the Olx Praca portal recalls that record interest in working abroad was observed during a period of very high, double-digit inflation in Poland. "Now that inflation in the country has eased and we're seeing low single-digit inflation, interest in working abroad isn't as high," Szabłowski admits. This decline is also visible in reports from the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy on the activities of employment agencies. According to them, after a record number of people assigned to work abroad in 2022 (nearly 165,000), when the high euro exchange rate increased the attractiveness of SAXes, this number has been declining over the past two years, and last year (150,600) was the lowest since 2017. This year could bring another decline, although it's worth remembering that agency statistics cover only a portion of the market – many Poles leave for work in the West on their own.

According to Olx Praca data, with the number of job offers abroad comparable to 2024 (most of them for jobs in Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium), the number of applications is similar to last year, but 25% below the peak in 2023. According to the portal, skilled workers (including welders, who are in short supply across Europe) and those willing to do hard physical labor on construction sites or during harvesting can most often count on good wages and attractive conditions. For example, the job offer for a two-week grape harvest in Champagne, which offers earnings of around €12 gross per hour, may not be high, but – as Kamil Szabłowski points out – the employer fully covers the costs of transportation, accommodation, and meals.

Saxes are better planned

"Poles are no longer entering the SAZ (Social Insurance Agencies) market for work, but with a plan," says Łukasz Kozioł, board member of the Association of Employment Agencies (SAZ) and president of the agency Work4YouGlobal, which now receives more applications from job seekers in the Netherlands than a year ago. He believes much depends on the quality of the work; while previously, simply stating the pay, type, and location in the ad was enough, Poles now approach SAZ with a clearly defined goal and much greater awareness. They compare different offers, analyzing where and how much they can afford to work.

– They ask not only about rates, but also about the standard of living, opinions about employers, and housing conditions – explains Klaudia Karwowska, marketing specialist at Work4YouGlobal.

Maciej Kopaczyński, president of SAZ and head of Laxo Group, which sends Polish caregivers to care for the elderly in Germany, also speaks about the changing attitudes of labor migrants. He recalls that while the holidays were once the most difficult period for caregivers, when they wanted to spend time with their families back home, now the summer holidays are a challenge. Women working in Germany want to go on vacation, but there are fewer people willing to spend their vacations caring for German retirees (as teachers, for example, used to do).

Poles go abroad to earn money for an apartment

According to employment agency representatives, the most profitable (both for labor migrants and the agencies themselves) are experienced workers, especially those in demand in factories, construction sites, and warehouses. According to Personnel Service data, forklift operators in Scandinavia can earn between €2,900 and €3,100 net per month, or approximately €18 net per hour. German companies offer them a similar level of pay, but on a gross basis.

According to Krzysztof Inglot, while there's less interest in short, seasonal trips, there are still plenty of people willing to work abroad longer (six months, a year, or two). This is especially true since experienced professionals, including welders and CNC operators, can earn a cheaper apartment or build a house in two years. "The most important motivator remains finances – wages abroad are still significantly higher than in Poland," emphasizes Agnieszka Żak, regional director of the Gi Group employment agency. In the February Gi Group survey, 16.3% of working Poles expressed interest in emigrating for work. This is 3 percentage points more than a year ago, with those willing to work abroad most likely considering a stay of at least six months. 16% of those interested mentioned a stay of around three months.