The situation on the labour market is still changing fast. At the end of July 2008 the registered unemployment rate fell to 9.4%. The decrease in unemployment is attributable to fast job creation in Poland and labour migration to other EU countries. In July 2008 the number of people employed in companies was 4.7% above the July 2007 figure; in the year to July the increase reached 5.5%. Wages are growing fast. In July 2008 they were higher by 11.6% than a year before; in the year to July the increase reached 11.7%.

Central Statistical Office (GUS): Growth in average employment in the commercial sector was still high in July 2008 (4.7% year on year), though lower than in previous months. The registered unemployment rate decreased to 9.4%. Preliminary results of the labour force survey for the second quarter show that the number of employed rose year on year, the employment rate increased to over 50%, the unemployment rate fell to 7.1% and the dependency ratio improved. (GUS Report on the Country’s Socio-Economic Situation, August 25, 2008, p. 4; www.stat.gov.pl)

The employment rate goes up.

Central Statistical Office (GUS): Thanks to a steady increase in the number of working people, the employment rate improved and reached 50.1% in the second quarter, up by 1.7 percentage points year on year. The increase in the employment rate was recorded for all age groups; it was the highest for people aged 45-59/64, with the rate rising by 2.5 percentage points to 58.3% and for those aged 35-44, up by 2.3 percentage points to 82.6%. The number of economically active people went up by 131,000 in the second quarter against the same quarter of last year and reached 16,885,000. The economic activity rate reached 53.9%, rising slightly year on year (by 0.4 percentage points) and quarter on quarter (by 0.2 percentage points). The number of unemployed decreased to 1,196,000, or by 25.3%. The percentage of people who meet the unemployment criteria according to the Labour Force Survey (BAEL) definition and at the same time are registered as unemployed at labour offices also went down: from 69.9% in the second quarter of 2007 to 67.3%. The unemployment rate according to the Labour Force Survey stood at 7.1% in the second quarter and was lower by 2.5 percentage points year on year and by 1.0 percentage point quarter on quarter. As last year, the decrease in unemployment was shaper in urban than in rural areas: respectively by 2.8 percentage points to 7.0% and by 1.9 percentage points to 7.2%. The female unemployment rate dropped by 2.4 percentage points to 7.7% and was still above the male unemployment rate, which decreased by 2.7 percentage points to 6.5%. (GUS Report on the Country’s Socio-Economic Situation, August 25, 2008, p. 9; www.stat.gov.pl)

Wage growth slightly slower in July than in June.

Central Statistical Office (GUS): In July growth in average gross monthly wages in the commercial sector was still high. The purchasing power of wages rose by 6.8% year on year but the increase was slightly smaller than in June and July 2007. Average gross old-age and disability pensions were higher than a year before: by 5.1% in the general social insurance system and by 0.9% in the farmers’ insurance system. (GUS Report on the Country’s Socio-Economic Situation, August 25, 2008, p. 4; www.stat.gov.pl)