GUS: Labour Market 1Q2026
In the first quarter of 2026, average employment in the enterprise sector fell by 0.9% year on year, with the steepest declines affecting mining and manufacturing. The registered unemployment rate stood at 6.1%.
Average employment
In the 1st quarter of 2026, average employment in the enterprise sector1 amounted to 6389,8 thousand and was 0,9% lower than in the corresponding period of the previous year
The deepest year-on-year decline in average employment in the 1st quarter this year was recorded in mining and quarrying (by 3,9%). Among the analyzed sections, employment also decreased in manufacturing (by 1,4%), electricity, gas, steam and hot water supply (by 1,2%), administrative and support service activities (by 1,1%), transportation and storage (by 1,0%), information and communication (by 0,8%), construction (by 0,7%), real estate activities (by 0,6%) and trade; repair of motor vehicles (by 0,5%). By contrast, year-on-year employment increased in water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities (by 3,0%), accommodation and food service activities (by 2,3%), and in arts, entertainment and recreation (by 2,0%).
Registered unemployment
At the end of March this year, 949,8 thousand unemployed people were registered at labour offices, i.e. 0,5% fewer than in February this year, but 14,5% more than in March last year.
The registered unemployment rate was 6,1%, i.e. the same as a month earlier and 0,7 percentage points higher than a year earlier.
Dismissals
In March this year, 49 establishments planned to lay off 2,3 thousand employees. The scale of planned layoffs was smaller than a month earlier and than a year earlier. At the end of March this year, 177 establishments reported an intention to lay off 19,6 thousand employees as part of collective redundancies.
Source: https://ssgk.stat.gov.pl/Rynek_pracy.html
