Statistics Poland has reported that the registered unemployment rate in January 2026 rose to 6%, marking the highest reading in nearly five years. Simultaneously, a CBOS survey indicates a significant deterioration in public sentiment and economic pessimism. Against the backdrop of these figures, the Polish Economic Institute highlights the record-high entrepreneurial activity of Ukrainian citizens, who have established over 123,000 businesses in Poland since the outbreak of the war.

Increase in the unemployment rate

The unemployment indicator in January 2026 rose to 6%, reaching its highest level since mid-2021. The number of unemployed exceeded 934 thousand.

Crisis in social sentiment

A CBOS study showed a decline in optimism; only 28% of Poles rate the country's situation positively, and over half look to the future with concern.

Ukrainian entrepreneurship

Ukrainian citizens have already established over 123 thousand firms in Poland; every tenth new sole proprietorship in the country belongs to an immigrant from the East.

Regional disparities

Large differences in unemployment persist: from 3.8% in Greater Poland to nearly 10% in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship.

The latest data from Statistics Poland has confirmed analysts' concerns about the labor market situation. The registered unemployment rate in January 2026 reached 6%, representing an increase of 0.3 percentage points compared to December of the previous year. The number of unemployed persons registered with the offices rose to 934.1 thousand. Although the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy had anticipated this result, experts point to a concerning trend of declining employment in the enterprise sector, which amounted to 55 thousand jobs on an annual basis. The most difficult situation prevails in the Warmian-Masurian and Podkarpackie voivodeships, while the lowest rates were recorded in Greater Poland. Parallel to the hard data, results of public opinion research were published. According to CBOS, the social mood of Poles deteriorated sharply in February. The share of positive assessments of the general situation in the country fell to 28%, and the overwhelming majority of citizens declare pessimism regarding economic and political forecasts for the coming year. The increase in criticism pertains not only to economic conditions but also to the country's internal stability, which is linked to growing concerns about the future of household budgets in the face of rising living costs. Historically, the lowest registered unemployment rate in Poland after 1989 was recorded in July 2023, when this indicator fell to 5.0 percent. Conversely, the highest values were noted in the early 2000s, when structural unemployment exceeded 20 percent, a consequence of the systemic transformation and restructuring of heavy industry.Against the backdrop of general labor market problems, the high activity of Ukrainian citizens stands out. The Polish Economic Institute reported that since February 2022, Ukrainians have registered 123.6 thousand business entities in Poland. Every tenth newly established sole proprietorship in the country now belongs to a Ukrainian citizen. The employment rate in this group is 75% among war refugees and as high as 90% among those who arrived before the invasion, significantly exceeding the national average of just under 60 percent. „Wysoka liczba rejestrowanych przez Ukraińców firm świadczy o ich determinacji i udanej adaptacji do polskich warunków gospodarczych.” (The high number of firms registered by Ukrainians testifies to their determination and successful adaptation to Polish economic conditions.) — Report of the Polish Economic Institute