Talent Pool in Kraków!

Kraków is the second largest city in Poland and is considered one of the friendliest when it comes to development. You will find attractive land, a rich real estate market, a developed business services sector, and scientific and research facilities here.

The number of new companies is growing every year. In 2022, 168.2 thousand national economy entities were registered in the REGON register. This represents a 5.1% year-on-year increase, and the number of companies with foreign capital reached close to 6,500.

The report will provide helpful information, as well as answer questions for business owners and HR professionals:

why is Kraków a good place for business?
what financial conditions are attractive to candidates?
what benefits are most often offered?
what is the availability of candidates?
which specialists and which industries are developing best?
what investment incentives await entrepreneurs?
what success stories of companies should be known?

The labor market in Kraków

Industries, prospects, advantages

The significant development of AI technologies and the aging of the population impact the situation in specific occupations. It is forecast that in 2024, most of the scarce positions will occur in the construction or medical/care industries. The report also reveals a list of occupations that are in surplus and those currently most in demand. The availability of highly skilled human resources, high R&D expenditures relative to GDP, and tax exemptions are some of the advantages for business development in Kraków. A high percentage of Kraków’s population has higher education, and the favorable demographic structure and positive migration balance allow for the continuous implementation of advanced processes, which ultimately support the region’s economic development. Małopolska is a space that offers ample opportunities for the development of people and a modern economy based on innovation and sustainable development.

“After 25 years of operation, the Motorola Solutions R&D Software Center in Kraków has become the crown jewel among the corporation’s centers worldwide and the company’s largest center outside the US. The decision to open the center in Krakow, Poland, was based mainly on access to qualified technical staff with a wide range of software engineering specialties and a location in the middle of the EMEA region, enabling us to provide support to our European customers.”

Jacek Drabik, CEO, Motorola Solutions Poland

Talent Pool

Employment, salaries, benefits

The number of people of working age in Kraków in 2022 will be more than 490,000, a positive sign for the local economy and labor market. A vast pool of workers contributes to the city’s growth and the development of businesses operating in it. According to the Central Statistical Office (CSO), the average gross monthly salary in Kraków was more than PLN 8,000 in 2022, while in January 2023, it had risen up to almost PLN 8,500, putting the city in first place when it comes to the highest average salaries in Poland. Learn more about employment conditions, salaries, and benefits in Kraków!

“Qurate Retail Group established a Global Business Services center in Kraków in late 2016, now employing more than 430 team members. A critical factor in choosing Kraków was the availability of highly qualified staff. In addition to their technical knowledge, the specialists are fluent in at least one foreign language and are eager to choose to work in an international environment.”

Sylwester Wiśniewski, GBS Site Leader w Qurate Retail Group

Business environment

Universities, cost of living, communication

Kraków is the heart of the regional and national economy. It is home to more than 260 business service centers employing nearly 100,000 people in the finance, IT, services, research, development, and analytics sectors. The city is distinguished by a very high rate of entrepreneurship, a good investment climate, and excellent location and transport accessibility: by road, rail, or air. Kraków is also one of the oldest educational centers in Europe. More than 130,000 students from around the world are educated at 23 universities. The most popular majors include business, administration, law, technology, industry, and construction.

“A significant role in IBM’s growing investment in Kraków is also played by the fact that the city is recognized as the largest high-tech center in Poland and the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region. Kraków specializes in software development, innovation and is a well-known center of competence in data processing and engineering, artificial intelligence and machine learning.”

Slawomir Kumka, Director at IBM Software Laboratory Poland

The stories of success

Companies that have invested in Kraków

Kraków is Poland’s largest business services center. Among the 100 largest companies in Małopolska in 2022, 59 operated in Kraków. As for the IT market – the talent pool in this industry is growing by about 10% each year. It is driven by graduates and specialists from other cities and neighboring countries. The largest employers by number of employees include HSBC, Comarch, Aptiv, EPAM, and Motorola. Google has also returned to Kraków after a 7-year absence. Companies that have successfully invested in their development in Małopolska include Shell, ABB, Comarch, State Street and MAN. Check out information about innovation leaders in the Kraków Metropolis!