It's no work in Poland

For people equal knowledgeable as well as would like to work it that e.g. as home assistance.

I think you are right....

BTW. Are you employed already? How come there's so many uneployed people in Poland?

I guess because of the transitionary period from a Socialist regime to a capitalistic one, both in the practical life and the minds of people, the latter being more important. I noticed that people in Poland, especially in Krakow are highly calm and chilled out, I hardly ever see an entrepreneur soul here, its just like `Let the State do everything! for us`.... ~Can

Yes but they shut down all the factories in the UK and moved them either to Poland or the Check Republic

Wait everyone.... What is this.... ? many unenployed people .... why ? it is simple... because for some people is better to be unenployed and work on black. And for the companies is better to not get a person.... reason..? it is too expensive. Tell me where is not expensive.... ? ...In France, Belgium, Germany, the single person cost a fortune to the comapny. That is why the claver once are outsourcing ! Look what is going on... they lay off people at almost everywhere. Except the oil companies who are making a high profits !

People in Poland are not enterpeneur and want the state do do everything for us .... from where does it come???.... I haven't seen in other countries so many initiatives as in poland. All my friends with diplomas have a small business at least registered. I would rather say oposite, it is State who should help the enterpeneur and encourage people to become independant by reducing the taxes and other costs for startup companies.

The biggest problem in Poland, in my opinion, is that the Polish government does not promote entrepreneurship at all. When you set up a company, you have to pay a FIXED amount per each employee PER MONTH (it's called ZUS fee or social fee) REGARDLESS if the company has made any profit or not during this month or not. And this fee is like 40% of an average income in Poland! So when you legally hire three workers, it's like you hired 4-5 workers since you have to pay all these ridiculous fees , even if you DO NOT make any income.

In the US for example, you pay PERCENTAGE of your income meaning if you make one year 100K, you pay about 10% and some SMALL fees for employees. In Poland, in addition to income tax, you must pay the ZUS fees which may add another 10%-20% of your total income tax.

That's why many Polish people try to hire on black or choose not to do anything...

What I find strangest here in Poland (as a foreigner), is the fact that if I try to offer someone work, they are only interested if everything has been prepared, so they can just sit and wait for the work to come to them. I have a reasent example of this when I was offering setting up a new site based on a specific subject, and we would share the advertisement income from it. I needed help building it up.
All the people I have asked, has not made ANY initiative to get it started.

Instead, they sit at their asses at their horribly low-payed jobs. I really can't understand why it is like this, because I even offered to pay all costs regarding registrations of domain and hosting..

No government wants to make Poland more entrepreneurial because there are no votes in it!
There are lots of people who like socialism here, as long as it's delivered by social conservatives with a non-Communist past.
Why, though, does the govt insist on charging income tax on invoices left unpaid by bad debtors? Cretins! You do work, the debtor doesn't pay the invoice, then you pay tax on the invoiced amount.
The EU is no better - a complete bunch of morons who spend most of their taxpayers money on investing in little French farms.
I receive a little farming subsidy now, by the way. No idea why ...

In my opinion (as a Pole) the situation will changing and it will be processing as long as it will be probably need. I'm young man who in the future will have no any problems with finding good payable job in my country. I think that because my education is good beyond this, I'm characterize by important skills especially obstinacy and endeavour to aim and finally I know what exactly enterprise is. I learn much about it in many different situations in which I was been. Only a little bit of desire to do something give U waited effects, and after U can live here (Poland) like a normal man and U can spend here so much many as U want. But anyway, there are many things I'd like to change. At first tax policy and whole f.....g bureaucracy. If you just start something, they can ruin U and your idea in a bit of time. So be aware when U arrange to start your business here. I went away from subject of Forum maybe a little but I' ll try to tell to many foreigners comming to Poland that this 20% unemployment rate is cause by wrong work policy and for example making problems for people like me. But like lieutenant Bruner said <Not with me these tricks> I say I will never give up and stop fighting. I wish all successes, Polish and not Polish businessmen.

It also depends in which direction Poland will go. There will be more and more completion on the market and I wouldn't be so sure that it will be "no problems" in finding a good job that pays well. Unless you have connections of course, which makes the job market in Poland even more difficult for a talented but not very "social" guy.

Yes, I totally agree about the bureaucracy thing in Poland and high taxes. Currently it doesn't make sense to establish a company since in reality most of the money goes not for you, but for the government. Unless you know a good accountant who can help you out (but it's risky...). The best thing, I guess, is to set up a home business and to keep it going "as a hobby" as long as you can; only after you have too much profits to hide, you can set up a formal company. Alternatively, I think it would be even cheaper to set up a company in another European union country and start from there.

Also, learning languages is important, but you are doing great as I can see . Good for you!

Thanks Jon. There is good idea of setting up company of abroad, but now, as I write I can't realize it cause I' haven't any connetions, as U call it outside Poland.
By the way, where R u commin from?
Is this some skandinavian country as I infer from sond of your name?

Mozart
I live in the US now. I've lived in Poland for about 20 years and then as a student I left abroad - first to Germany, then to US. My brother still lives in Poland so I know the ZUS fee (tax fee paid for each employee) can kill any business. It keeps him from setting up his own formal company (computer service); but fortunately he has a lot of clients that have known him by "word-of-the-mouth" so he keeps it "as a hobby". In my opinion, until the Polish goverment lowers the faxes and other "mandatory" fees, the Polish economy's future is bleak.
Jon

I hate to say it my friends...get used to it. If it is not one tax, it will be another! I don't have a clear picture of Poland's economics but I can assure you, taxes will not go away or be lowered. I am interested in the idea of doing some business in Poland, but as an American company. I am just not sure how to operate in your country. Any Comments?

At least there's a hope (see Bush administration) that the taxes will be lowered. I have no experience in doing business as an American company, but it's an interesting topic. I think it might be profitable provided you don't employ many people (or hire then as contractors only).

Recently I've tried to buy a Polish domain name (.pl). I finally bought it using a credit card (it took twice as long as when you buy from an American registrar, but nevertheless the process was quite smooth). What was surprising for me was the fact that the first year you pay about $14, but any other renewals will cost you about twice as much a year (or more). It doesn't make a business sense at all -- you are being penalized with a HIGHER price if you want to bulk. I guess you should be prepared for a lot of such nonsense in the Polish business world...

off the subject

Sorry, I was wrong - there's no hope. After the Bush administration today announced they are going to try to control the Internet (supposedly to prevent "child pornography"), I don't think anything's going to go in the right direction... They already control our phone conversations and now they want to know what we're searching for. Get a life, politicians, and mind your own business! There are parents who are the only ones to have the right what their kids can do or not!

Can someone tell me the rate of income tax for PAYE?

Employers working for a company?

Thanks.