Gdańsk Labour Market: Employment Up Year on Year, Registered Unemployment Falls

Employment and the structure of the enterprise sector

Average employment in Gdańsk’s enterprise sector amounted to 120.9 thousand full-time equivalent jobs in May 2026, down by 0.9 thousand jobs (0.7%) from April 2026. Compared with May 2025, it was higher by 4.5 thousand jobs, or 3.9%.

Month on month, employment declined, among others, in information and communication (by 0.7%) and trade (by 0.2%). Increases were recorded in professional, scientific and technical activities and in accommodation and food service activities (both by 0.8%), as well as in construction (by 0.4%).

Year on year, the strongest employment growth was reported in manufacturing (up 4.4%) and trade (up 4.2%). Declines were recorded mainly in accommodation and food service activities (down 5.1%) and information and communication (down 3.2%).

Wages

Average gross monthly pay in the enterprise sector amounted to PLN 11,040.40 in May 2026 — down 2.5% from April 2026 but up 6.7% from May 2025. The monthly decrease resulted mainly from lower pay in professional, scientific and technical activities (down 17.8%) and real estate activities (down 7.4%).

Year on year, the strongest wage growth was recorded in construction (up 21.1%) and transportation and storage (up 17.9%). The highest pay relative to the enterprise-sector average was recorded in information and communication (42.6% above the average), while the lowest was in accommodation and food service activities (36.3% below the average).

Registered unemployment

At the end of May 2026, the number of registered unemployed people in Gdańsk was 8,662 — 164 people (1.9%) fewer than at the end of April 2026, but 1,726 people (24.9%) more than a year earlier. Women accounted for 4,415 people, or 51.0% of all unemployed persons (50.8% a month earlier and 52.4% a year earlier).

The registered unemployment rate stood at 3.3%, slightly below April 2026 (3.4%) but clearly above the level a year earlier (2.7%). For comparison, the rate was 5.4% in the Pomeranian Voivodeship and 5.9% nationwide.

In May 2026, 883 job vacancies were reported to labour offices, accounting for 29.3% of all vacancies in the Pomeranian Voivodeship. In Gdańsk, there were 11 people registered as unemployed per job vacancy (12 a month earlier and 9 a year earlier), below the regional average of 15 people.

Among newly registered unemployed people, 366 individuals (45.4%) registered for the first time, while those dismissed for reasons attributable to the employer accounted for 4.3% (3.4% a month earlier). A total of 970 people were removed from the register, including 646 who took up work and 77 who lost unemployed status after having no contact with the labour office for at least 90 days. A total of 7,617 people, or 87.9% of all registered unemployed persons, were not entitled to unemployment benefit (86.4% a year earlier).

Gdańsk compared with other major cities

Compared with the cities in the comparison, Gdańsk stands out for a low number of unemployed people per job vacancy and a high number of vacancies reported during the month. Its unemployment rate is higher than in Warsaw, Poznań and Kraków, but considerably lower than in Łódź and Szczecin. Average gross pay places Gdańsk just behind Kraków and Warsaw.

Data source: Statistics Poland (GUS), Statistical Office in Gdańsk, “Gdańsk Statistics 5/2026”; data generated as of 24 June 2026. Own calculations based on GUS data.