Job offers in August 2026
Job offers in August 2026: +4% y/y, but employment is falling. Check the Grant Thornton and Element report – the situation in cities, industries, and the impact of AI on the market.
In August 2026, 257,046 new job offers were published on the 50 largest recruitment portals — this is a 4% y/y increase (+10,112 postings). Compared to July, there was a decrease of 7% (18,577 offers), which is however a typical seasonal phenomenon.
Market background: Although this is the 3rd consecutive month of positive annual dynamics, the result is still weaker than the August readings from 2019 and 2021–2024 (when 284–318 thousand offers appeared). The rebound is therefore taking place from a low base.
Market paradox: There is a divergence between the growing number of job offers and Central Statistical Office (GUS) data, which show a decline in employment in the enterprise sector (-0.8% y/y in July) and an increase in unemployment (to 5.9% / 911 thousand people).
Offers depleted of benefits and training:
Average number of benefits fell to 5.4 per offer (a decline from over 6 in previous years).
The promise of training was found in only 48% of offers (a drop from 84% in 2023–2024).
Requirements: Decreased to an average of 4.7 per offer (professional experience is expected by 59% of employers).
Situation in cities and industries
Cities (all 10 in the positive range):
The highest y/y increases were recorded by Wrocław (+12%) and Kraków (+11%).
Previously declining/stable cities returned to growth: Gdańsk (+6%), Łódź (+6%), Bydgoszcz (+9%).
The most offers were generated by Warsaw (40,266 offers, +5% y/y).
Per 1,000 inhabitants, the leaders are Katowice (22.8), Warsaw (21.6), and Kraków (21.5). Łódź has the lowest rate (8.2).
Industries (all 7 in the positive range):
Healthcare (+18% y/y): The clear leader (3,260 offers; doctors +19%, nurses +17%).
Finance (+7%), Marketing/Sales (+6%), IT (+5%) (IT returning to growth).
Manual labor (+2%): The largest group in terms of the number of listings (20,976).
Declines in positions: Out of 28 studied positions, security workers recorded a decline (-3%), while financial directors, IT directors, and tax advisors remained unchanged
