Poland

The official forecast of where workers are needed is the Occupational Barometer (Barometr zawodów), prepared by the Regional Labour Office in Kraków for the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy. For 2026 it lists 17 shortage occupations across the whole of Poland:

• health and care – doctors, nurses and midwives, psychologists and therapists, carers for older people and people with disabilities,
• education – teachers of general subjects and foreign languages, teachers of vocational subjects, practical vocational training instructors, special needs and inclusive education teachers,
• transport and logistics – lorry and articulated lorry drivers, bus drivers, warehouse workers,
• construction and technical trades – installation fitters, operators and mechanics of earthmoving machines, welders, electricians and power engineering technicians,
• other – certified accountants and members of the armed forces.

Separate barometers are published for each region (voivodeship) and for districts (powiaty), so check the one for the city you are interested in.

Many of these jobs need specific qualifications. For regulated professions – such as doctors, nurses or teachers – you will first need your qualifications recognised (see below).