According to the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy's estimates, the registered unemployment rate at the beginning of 2025 was 5.4 per cent, the same as a year ago and 0.3 percentage points higher than in the previous month.

The lowest level of unemployment was recorded in the Wielkopolskie Voivodeship (3.3 per cent) and the highest (9.1 per cent) in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship.

At the end of January, there were – according to our estimates – 787,000 unemployed registered in labour offices. This is 52.6 thousand people (6.7 per cent) more than at the end of December 2024, but 1.7 thousand people (0.2 per cent) less than at the end of January 2024.

Situation in flood-affected areas

A total of 76,900 unemployed individuals were registered in the 43 counties where a state of natural disaster due to flooding was declared, representing an increase of approximately 5,200 compared to the end of 2024. The unemployment growth rate in these counties stood at 7.3%, while in other counties it was 6.6%. This means that the increase was similar.

Poland still at the top of the EU

Poland has long been among the top countries in the European Union with the lowest level of unemployment. According to Eurostat data, the unemployment rate in Poland stood at 3% in November 2024. This placed Poland, alongside Malta, in second place within the EU, behind the Czech Republic, where the rate was 2.6%.

In December 2024, the average in the EU countries was 5.9 per cent and in the euro area 6.3 per cent.