Poland is the ninth largest country in Europe with a territory of 120,726 square miles. Its population is almost 39 million people. Situated in Central Europe, its borders include the Baltic Sea and the Carpathian Mountains. Its temperate continental climate and numerous rivers and mountains make it a home to a wide diversity of wild animals and birds.

Historically, Poland has been an important geopolitical area in Europe. It has been partitioned by Prussia, the Russian Empire, and Austria, but regained its independence after World War I.

The country was a part of the Eastern Bloc until 1989, so it functioned as a centrally planned economy. It started developing a market economy in 1990. Today, Poland is considered one of the strongest post-Communist economies. Its main exports are food, machinery, clothing, and cosmetics.

More than 60% of the population is located in urban areas. Still, a considerable part of Polish people live in rural areas, where agriculture is their main activity. Important urban hubs are the capital, Warsaw (1.7 million people), Krakow, Lodz, Wroclaw, Poznan, and Gdansk. Another ten cities have a population in the range of 200,000–400,000 inhabitants.

Freelancing is still a new type of occupation in Poland. It is often the preferred work choice for young people based in urban areas. The main factor that drives Polish professionals to choose remote work is the high level of flexibility and freedom that it provides. IT and graphic design specialists are the largest groups that offer freelancing services in Poland.

Top Skills

Polish is the official language in Poland. There are 16 other languages that have been recognized with a minority status. English is often spoken in business and education, with young people predominantly using it as a second language. The literacy rate in the country is 99.7%, making Poland one of the most literate countries in the world.

The Polish educational system, which includes more than 500 universities, has been ranked as the 10th best in the world. Unlike most other places, many Polish universities are specialized. The top higher education institutions are University of Warsaw, Warsaw University of Technology, AGH University of Science & Technology, Jagiellonian University, Adam Mickiewicz University Poznan, and Gdansk University of Technology. Polish graduates develop competitive skills in the fields of engineering, technology, and sciences. Other top higher education programs include business management, design, and arts.

Income Range

The average monthly salary in Poland is 4065 PLN (about $995). IT, business management, and engineering salaries can reach double that amount. If you’re hiring a freelancer from urban areas, you can expect them to charge higher rates in comparison with remote workers from rural areas, where expenses are lower.

Currency

The currency in Poland is the Polish złoty. The exchange rate is 1 USD to 4.08 PLN.

Currency Exchange

Making online payments to and from Poland is easy. You can use most payment services like PayPal, Payoneer, and Transferwise, among others.