The Ministry of Family and Social Policy estimated that the registered unemployment rate at the end of September this year was 5% - the same number as both in the previous month and in September 2023.

The lowest unemployment rate at 3% was recorded in the Wielkopolskie Province and the highest in the Podkarpackie Province (8.4%).

September saw fewest unemployed persons in decades

Preliminary data from the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy (MRPiPS) indicated that 772,200 unemployed persons were registered in labour offices at the end of October this year. This is 1300 less than at the end of August this year and 5000 less than at the end of September 2023.

The lowest number of registered unemployed persons since the first measurement in 1990 was in September.

Situation in the areas affected by the floods

In most districts where the state of natural disaster was declared, the unemployment rate remained at the same level as in the previous month or even fell. In 16 out of 37 districts, the unemployment rate at the end of September this year was higher than the month before, with an increase of 0.1 to 0.3% A further 13 districts saw a decrease and the employment rate in eight districts remained unchanged.

63,900 unemployed persons were registered in the districts where a flood-prompted state of natural disaster caused was declared, some 120 more than at the end of August this year.

Poland relative to other EU countries

Poland yet again ranked second among EU countries in terms of the lowest unemployment. As defined by Eurostat, the unemployment rate in Poland in August this year stood at 2.9%, compared to 5.9% in the EU and 6.4% in the euro area. Czechia ranked first with the unemployment rate of 2.6%. Spain recorded the highest unemployment rate (11.3%).