Poland and Czech Republic Break Records: Unemployment at Lowest Level in the EU

06.03.2025

The unemployment rate in Poland and the Czech Republic has dropped to 2.6%, reaching an all-time low. The number of unemployed in Poland stands at just 464,000, while in the Czech Republic it is 139,000. This is the lowest figure among all EU member states. The data comes from the analytical centre of the international recruitment company Gremi Personal, citing Eurostat.

By comparison, unemployment in Germany stands at 3%, while the highest rate in the eurozone was recorded in Spain at 10%. In Sweden the rate reaches 8.9%, and in both Greece and Finland it stands at 8.7%.

Experts note that this result has been achieved through a combination of several factors, including steady economic growth, an active government labour market policy and, undeniably, the contribution of Ukrainian refugees — predominantly in Poland. According to data from the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS), 779,000 working Ukrainians are registered in Poland, accounting for 78% of all foreign nationals employed in the country.

The Czech Republic has granted temporary protection to 397,000 Ukrainians. As of the end of December 2024, 152,762 Ukrainians were officially employed in the Czech Republic. Notably, Ukrainian refugees who received temporary protection contributed approximately 54 billion Czech crowns (around $2.2 billion) to the Czech state budget over three years of full-scale war — twice as much as the Czech Republic spent on humanitarian assistance.

"These figures are a clear testament to the enormous contribution Ukrainian refugees make to Europe's economy. 779,000 employed Ukrainians in Poland and 152,700 in the Czech Republic — these are not just numbers, they represent a tremendous force sustaining the stability and growth of the labour markets in both countries. We see that Ukrainians are actively engaged in key sectors such as logistics, manufacturing and services, where their work ethic and dedication play a crucial role. We are convinced that it is precisely thanks to Ukrainians that Poland achieves such low unemployment figures — record-low across the entire EU," — says Yuriy Hryhorenko, representative of the Gremi Personal analytical centre.