Work / What salary can I expect for a job in finance in Lodz? [18]


All the more reason to ask for a higher salary. High turnover means the job is terrible, and not worth taking. Another thing the OP has to do is figure in the cost of flying to Poland and back home into their salary expectations, as well as the cost of getting a residency permit. May not be worth it even at 5000 PLN, all things considered.

Work / What salary can I expect for a job in finance in Lodz? [18]


Also, kick the ball back in their court and ask them to quote an offer. That is a pretty dirty trick on their part to make you reveal your salary expectations. After all, they have full knowledge, and you have basically none. I personally would find it VERY off-putting if a prospective employer asked me to provide an offer first. It shows that the ONLY criterion they have in hiring me is paying me as little as possible. If they insist, then start out by asking for 2500 Euro. You'll be in a stronger position for negotiating then.

Work / What salary can I expect for a job in finance in Lodz? [18]

Yes, I know. That, coupled with the fact that there is little opportunity for advancement or for improving one's qualifications makes jobs like these even less attractive. There must be a reason why even native Poles are turning up their noses to these jobs so that the companies have to rely on third-world workers.

Work / What salary can I expect for a job in finance in Lodz? [18]

Actually, it would probably not be worth your time and effort to accept less than 1,400 Euro NET, (5000 PLN). A decent apartment, all fees and bills paid, is going to cost you closer to 500 Euro. Food and sundry household expenses will cost another 350 to 500, depending how much you eat out, and more if you like to eat out in good restaurants, or consume alcohol or tobacco. At 1,100 Euro per month, that doesn't leave much left over for traveling or fun, and you won't be able to save up a substantial amount for a rainy day.

I'm assuming that you are coming as a single person. Add 1000 Euro for a spouse, and 500 Euro extra per additional family member.

Work / What are the chances of getting a little job (bar maid, waitress etc) in Lodz? [4]


Basically, none at all. At least for wages that you would be able to survive on.

Travel / Is it possible to hire a car in Poland when under the age of 21? [11]


I second that. It would be a lot cheaper than renting. I've done this several times in the States: buy a beater for thousand bucks, drive it around the country, and then give it to a Jewish charity for a receipt of its official blue-book value so that the tax write-off was usually close to the amount I paid. Essentially, a free car. Perhaps there is some charity you can donate it to in Poland for a tax receipt, too.

Work / English lad looking for work in Poland [39]


Nobody said that, and neither did I. I said that COMPARED TO POLAND, the UK is a veritable land of milk and honey, and that no matter how bad things may seem in England, they are a helluva lot worse in Poland, especially for 20-year-old unqualified, uneducated, inexperienced and unskilled laborers.

Work / English lad looking for work in Poland [39]

Apples and oranges. A equivalent British couple with the same qualifications as the Polish couple making 20 K in Poland is going to earn a lot more than 4 K a month in the UK, and at the end of the month they are going to be able to save up more in absolute pounds than the Polish couple could. The savings in cost of living in Poland are more than offset by the lower wages. A Polish couple earning 20k PLN would be considered quite well off indeed by most of the population, who survive on a third as much, or less.

Work / English lad looking for work in Poland [39]


A big part is money earned in the West, including the UK. Another factor is the "fake it till you make it" mentality.


Exactly, and by scrimping in the less conspicuous areas of life. Like shopping at Biedronka.

Work / English lad looking for work in Poland [39]


You missed the word "you". The statement was direct specifically at the OP, a 20-year-old unskilled high school grad with apparently no plans for higher education. There are no educational opportunities for him in Poland. Any vocational or trade-related training would be conducted in Polish, and the OP is years from being able to take part in any such courses.

At all.


No matter how you slice it, as far as educational and employment opportunities for you go, England is a veritable land of milk and honey compared to Poland. There's nothing to debate here. You'd have a quarrel with the hundreds of thousands of Poles who have recently left Poland to find work in the UK.

I gave you some great advice: if you want to be a laborer, acquire some useful skills so that you are able to compete on the job market. Forget about Poland. The job market there is going to be a lot tighter than the UK for the foreseeable future, especially for unskilled laborers. If you think that pointing that out is "harsh", you're in for a very unpleasant lesson in life, much harsher than my little slap upside the head.

Work / English lad looking for work in Poland [39]


This has to be about the most ridiculous thing I've read on this forum this year. No matter how bad you think the job market is in England, it's a friggin bed of roses compared to Poland. Why do you think all those Polish people are in England? It's because they couldn't find work here.


The second most ridiculous thing. You have NO skills and NO experience to offer. At all. Zip, zero, zilch. Don't be a fool; go back to school and get some useful qualifications or learn a trade. There's a world-wide glut of uneducated unskilled laborers, and your life is going to suck wherever you live unless you have something real to offer employers. In England, you have lots of opportunities for education. In Poland, you will have none.




They wouldn't even look at a 20 year old with no education, no qualifications, no experience and no knowledge of the local language. There is zero chance that an inexperienced 20 year old can find work in Poland, except maybe in a lousy call center. Even if he did speak Polish, the chances would be still be pretty remote. Youth unemployment is far higher in Poland than in England, and wages are far lower. A lot of Polish students spend the summer in England earning for their studies.

Even if he did find work, it would be a low-paid dead-end job with zero possibility of advancement, like cold call sales in a call center. I would wish that job on my worst enemy.

Anto, if you have decided to pursue a career as a laborer, then get some qualifications and skills that will enable you to find better work in the field, like plumbing, wiring, heavy machine operating or the like. BUT, beware of fly-by-night trade schools. Have an experienced adult help you shop around for courses that are really worth the money.

The second thing you have to keep in mind is that you will, for the rest of your lifetime at least, be competing against cheap labor from abroad. Things won't improve until you get some low-level management skills at least.

Work / I'm moving in to Poland in a week.. and I am panicking! English Teacher [11]


Pretty much zero chance of finding work teaching for that time period, or, really, at all in your case.

The only possible job you could get is in a call center as "customer service". Not a pleasant job, and the pay is very low, but it's better than nothing. Actually, the wisest choice financially speaking is that you stay at home in Portugal for the four months and earn money there. It would be safest to make your plans based on the assumption that you will DEFINITELY not earn a penny in Poland. If that makes you panic, then don't go. Go only if you are fine with the idea of a four-month-long unpaid vacation.

Study / Questions about studying at UAM In Poznan ( US citizen ) [14]


Going to university to become an English teacher is ridiculous. You will spend more than you will ever earn. English teachers in Poland make about $8,000 to $10,000 a year after taxes. Very few make more, and not much more. Opportunities for English teachers have dried up a bit because of the financial crisis. For people like you from outside of the European Union, jobs are very scarce because few schools are willing to go through the hassle of getting work permission for you when they could hire someone from the UK or Ireland without the hassle, and few and fewer are offering real work contracts, opting for useless "garbage contracts" instead. So basically the boat has sailed as far as English teaching for Americans in Europe is concerned, Poland included.

Really, I can't see any demand for English majors anywhere. The only practical reason to study it is for your own amusement.

As for psychology, getting work as a clinical psychologist is pretty darn hard. And being an academic in a non-science field is a drag when you see all the best things going to the science departments and you end up with the scraps. Think very long and very hard about a career in teaching. It's not for everyone, and you really have to have a calling and talent to enjoy the job. Job satisfaction among teachers is notoriously low.

washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/02/21/u-s-teachers-job-satisfaction-craters-report/

Study / Questions about studying at UAM In Poznan ( US citizen ) [14]


That would be like giving examples of people who won the lottery. It's not a good idea to base life decisions on exceptions.


Not much more useful than English. The number of new grads in psychology each year exceeds the total number of people already working in the field altogether. Places for grad school are limited, competition is fierce, and there is less financial aid available than for STEM fields. Even with a graduate degree, finding a job ain't easy, and the lifetime earning potential is poor.


Best bet is to keep on looking. There is plenty to choose from. There is bound to be something that appeals to you.


Smart move. It'll make getting into a good school and getting financial aid a lot easier.

Also, take a course or two in critical thinking. One of the best time-and-trouble saving tools a student can have in their toolbox.

Study / Questions about studying at UAM In Poznan ( US citizen ) [14]


It will be relatively easy to transfer those credits to another US university, while it would be nigh impossible to do so to a Polish university.


With a 3.5 GPA, you might qualify for a merit scholarship to an American University. Furthermore, you may well qualify for a needs-based scholarship, as well as student employment. All of that will not be possible in Poland, at all.

Here is a list of "good value" colleges in the US. There are plenty more lists like this on the internet:

kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-public-colleges/


Smart move, as long as those courses are recognized by the school you apply to in the future.


Most courses taught in English at Polish universities are a joke, and the degrees are of little value both in and outside of Poland. As Monitor rightly points out, there are some exceptions, but they are few and far between.


Not at all. It's not part of the educational mentality here.


Studying English is just about useless anywhere, and doubly so in a non-English speaking country. "Humanistics" degrees in general are a poor investment, unless you are a top student at one of the extremely exclusive and selective toppity top universities. That includes majors like art, music, performing arts, theater, cinema, languages, literature, philosophy, "soft sciences" like psychology and sociology, journalism, international relations, communications, political science, ethnic and culture studies, religion and theology, economics, business, "general studies", tourism, "pre-law" and the like. Basically, anything that appeals to the math-shy slacker.

The best predictor of future earning potential the amount of high-level applied mathematics you have taken. I know that young people don't like hearing it, but in the real world, math is money. Unless you're happy with flipping burgers at McDonalds or being a barrista at Starbucks for the rest of your life and spending your retirement working as a greeter at Walmart, seriously consider studying applied mathematics fields like econometrics, financial or actuarial mathematics, higher level accounting, engineering or hard sciences. It would be a better investment even if it meant taking another year at community or local state college to beef up your math and science basics before you transfer. Financial aid is also easier to come by for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) students than for humanities students. Unless you parents have left you a sizable trust fund that will last you for life, future earnings potential should be a very high priority. Ignore anyone who tells you to study what you love, and let the future sort itself out. It won't, and you'll end up hating what you studied with a passion.


Student housing is available, though the waiting list may be long and you're not guaranteed a place.

Study / Questions about studying at UAM In Poznan ( US citizen ) [14]

You said nothing about yourself: what you want to study, what you are currently studying and where, your grades, whether you want to pursue studies in Polish or English, what are your long-term life goals, etc., so nobody can give you more than a general answer.

My general answer is to forget about it. Higher education in the States is far superior to anything you will find in Poland, and studying in Poland offers few, if any, advantages. The programs taught in English are generally of very low quality, and are not worth the money. Student support is sorely lacking, and it a harsh, hostile and heartless every-dog-for-himself type of environment. Polish universities care very little about undergraduate students. Funding is very tight, and practical courses are abysmal. University bureaucracy is horrendous. I have never, ever heard anyone say anything positive about higher education in Poland versus more developed countries, and by far most Polish students and academics dream about studying, teaching or doing research in the West.

Oddly, I just sent a student I have been mentoring to Portland State. He's having a much better time there that he was at a one of the better Polish universities on the same level or better than AMU in Poznań.

Finding work as a student is very difficult in Poland. Doubly so if you are a foreigner. Youth unemployment is very high, much higher than in the States. Forget about university sponsored jobs. They essentially do not exist. Make your plans based on the assumption that you will definitely not be able to earn as you learn.

There might be some circumstances under which studying in Poland might be a viable alternative for you, but there are practically always better options available to you in the States. Ask yourself why you are thinking about studying in Poland, and what you expect to accomplish by doing so.

Work / Finding work as a junior programmer in Warsaw [19]

Not as much as your salary would if you were to work in Malta, where you can substantially improve your qualifications while you work. At best, moving from Malta to Poland would only be jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. In fact, your salary may not go up substantially at all. Remember, these are outsourced jobs and there is very strong pressure to keep wages obscenely low. They will have little incentive to give you a substantial raise.

Work / Finding work as a junior programmer in Warsaw [19]


Actually, it's reality that pours cold water on people's plans, especially if they are based on bad math and silly dreams. I'm just the messenger. And in fairness, you do have to admit that I helped Paritosh a lot because he had a realistic plan and expectations. Thanks for the compliment, though. It's highly appreciated.

Work / Finding work as a junior programmer in Warsaw [19]


Nobody said anything about becoming rich. But moving to a foreign country without being able to save up for a rainy-day fund would be very unwise. Pretty darn stupid, actually.


Remember that cost of living for you as a foreigner living in Poland is going to be a lot higher than for a Pole living in Poland, for the reasons I outlined above. You're comparing apples and oranges. The cost of living to wages ratio may well turn out to be lower in your own country.


Extremely unlikely. There are far better opportunities elsewhere, both for employment and for self-improvement, which should be a major concern at your age. I cannot fathom how you can imagine that working in Poland for peanuts is a "most logical choice". It might make sense if you're making more than just peanuts (4000 PLN net), but even then, I would hardly call it the most logical choice. The most logical choice would be to beef up your qualifications, whether you are working or not, and you are going to have a hard time doing that in Poland.

I suspect that you are romanticizing. You had a fun time on Erasmus, which is great. But you're in the working world now, and the rules are fundamentally different. What qualified as fun before may qualify as unbearable drudgery now. I did exchange programs to Germany and Denmark when I was a student, and had a wonderful time. I cannot imagine living under such conditions now, though. When you enter the workforce, your priorities and standards change radically. The ones you seem not to be taking into account are building up a rainy-day fund for emergencies and continuous improvement of your qualifications, neither of which you will have opportunity to address in Poland unless you are getting paid quite well.

Work / Finding work as a junior programmer in Warsaw [19]


I agree that moving to Poland for less than 4000 PLN net would not be worth the time and effort, unless you want to slum it and end up with little or nothing saved up at the end of the year. Don't compare your salary to that of the locals. They can live a lot cheaper than you can, as they have plenty of experience, extensive support systems of families and friends, and are not under as much pressure to save up in absolute Euros. Even at 4000 PLN net, you are going to squirrel away only a measly 250 Euro a month, maybe 350 if you live very, very frugally and count every single penny. Count on the lower amount, unless you smoke, drink or have other expensive habits.

If you're offered less than 4000 PLN a month, you're better off staying at home and looking for work there or elsewhere, or improving your qualifications, something you will have little opportunity to do in Poland.

Love / What documentation do I need to marry a Polish girl in Poland? [28]


It's an official church paper, and you can get copies from your pastors.


You don't want to incur the extra cost of not having a lawyer. A good lawyer will save you money.



I didn't say "must", I said it would probably be easier if she is moving to India anyway. Time won't be a factor, and she'll have no problem getting a visa. The paperwork is going to be a lot easier, too, than getting a Schengen visa, and probably a lot less costly.

Life / Is 10500 monthly is enough for a family to live in Warsaw Poland [136]


You would not be able to survive at all on that much, live like paupers on twice as much, and would require at least three and a half times as much (7000 net) to even consider taking the job. Those wage averages you find on the internet are worthless as far as you are concerned. Ignore them.

Your apartment alone is going to cost between 2000 and 3000 PLN, all fees and bills included, and A LOT more if you are talking about amenities like club house, sports club, health club. Very few Polish apartment complexes have such amenities, and those that do are definitely in the luxury range, and very, very expensive. May a little cheaper if you are willing to part with convenience and comfort. Basic groceries and household expenses and very frugal entertainment are going to cost you between 1000 and 1500 PLN a month, and more if you like to eat out in good restaurants, go to health clubs or country clubs, and live an active social and cultural life.

Your wife will almost certainly not be able to find work after you move here. If she wants to work, ask the company that's hiring you whether they can arrange something for her as well BEFORE you come. Otherwise, make your decisions based on the assumption that she will definitely not find work. She would have to have extraordinary qualifications and experience to find work on her own in Poland, like lots of SAP or HBase experience, and then, while she may find work, it may not be in Gdynia.

7000 PLN net should be the very bare minimum you should accept, and only if you are truly desperate. 10K net would enable you to live quite comfortably, but you have to balance that with the reduced opportunities for advancement and reduced absolute savings potential compared to Western European and English speaking countries. And the fact that your wife will probably not be working.

Like I said, working in Poland will probably do little to further your career compared to working in the West, and opportunities for enhancing your qualifications through continuing education are limited. Disabuse yourself of any thought that working in Poland will be a foot in the door that enables you to move up the corporate ladder or make useful contacts. Like I said, most jobs you will find in Poland for companies like IBM are essentially dead-end swot jobs that are "internally outsourced" because no one in the West wants to do them. Employee advancement and improvement are not company priorities. The corporate types that hold the keys to advancement will probably not even be aware that you exist, and getting their attention will be very difficult indeed, if at all possible.

Life / Is 10500 monthly is enough for a family to live in Warsaw Poland [136]


Kick the ball back in their court, and ask THEM to quote a salary first. That's THEIR job. It's terribly unfair of them to offer you a job without telling you how much their going to pay you, and frankly, a bit unethical. You're not equal partners in the negotiations, and they have a huge advantage over you in terms of knowledge of local wages. That they would exploit that means that they would have few scruples in exploiting you. Be firm and don't let them cow you. The job isn't worth it if this is how they negotiate. It's a sign that their primary, and indeed only, criterion in hiring you is how little they can get away with in paying you. That means they don't value you at all.

For a couple, it's not worth moving to Poland for less than 7000 to 8000 PLN a month AFTER TAXES (10 to 12 K gross), so if they insist on a quote, aim VERY high. For less, you're probably better off working in India for the time being and spending your time looking for better offers in Western Europe or in the English speaking countries, where you'll get paid substantially more, be able to save a great deal more, and where the opportunities for advancement and self-improvement are considerably higher. As the position you will be occupying is essentially "internally outsourced", you will be cut off from the mainstream of the corporate culture and will find it very difficult to advance within the company structure. Furthermore, there is little chance that your wife will be able to work, or to improve her qualifications.

If you were single and a recent grad, I would say come to Poland, work a couple of years to get experience, and then find a better job elsewhere. Since you are already experienced and also married, and have to save up for your future family, I say forget about Poland unless they offer you a truly astronomical (by Polish standards) salary like 30,000 PLN a month. So if they INSIST in a quote, give them that figure. You have nothing to lose.

Love / What documentation do I need to marry a Polish girl in Poland? [28]


Public announcement of the upcoming wedding in the church. It's not just for Catholics. Churches differ in how this is handled, so she will have to find out what is required in her church in Poland, and you will have to find out what is required in your church in India.


Your lawyers will handle this, preferably about a year before the wedding.


Some churches, like the Catholic church, for example, require you to take a course together about married life before they will agree to marry you. If her church does, you'll need a certificate for that, and also probably other church-related documents like proof of baptism, confirmation and active participation. You'll also need a certificate of no impediment, both for the church and the civil authorities.


You have to wait at least thirty days after applying for a marriage license to actually get married. Also, if she is Catholic (like almost all Polish girls are), and you are not, there is a long waiting period for getting married in the Catholic Church, most especially for mixed marriages. There are A LOT of hoops for you to jump through, and they are not going to make it easy for you.

If she is not Catholic, then she and you have to find out the rules for your respective churches. Talk to your pastors.

Also, the wedding is five years away. Your lawyer will be able to answer your questions in your particular case, or refer you to someone who can. You'll both have plenty of time to learn about the process and gather the necessary documentation.

Love / What documentation do I need to marry a Polish girl in Poland? [28]


It's the "come back" part that the consul is going to want to be absolutely sure of before he issues the visa. And the thing that is hardest to prove.

Love / What documentation do I need to marry a Polish girl in Poland? [28]


Like Harry said, photos will help a lot, especially if they include your family members and friends. Also, long term correspondence, meaning real paper letters, and receipts for gifts and for the shipping to her address and vice versa will probably be required, as will receipts for hotel rooms and trips booked together. A statement of intent to marry her and her acceptance letter would help a lot, as well as published banns of marriage in both Polish and Indian newspapers. The more you have, the more likely it is that the consul will find the relationship to be genuine.

However, as Harry said, it would be much easier for her to move to India and for you to get married there. It will be MUCH easier for her to get a visa and residence permit to India than for you to get them for Poland. The consul will want to know why it is necessary that you get married in Poland, and I can't think of a good reason, especially if, as you said, you intend to live in India after you are married.

Love / What documentation do I need to marry a Polish girl in Poland? [28]


The Polish embassy in your country. They'll tell you everything they need to make a decision.

Food / Food to give as a gift that is only representative of Poznan? [4]


You can buy a nice gift box to put them in. They would be a great gift, but you have to make sure they are fresh, that is, buy them the morning you leave for Warsaw.

Work / Part time English speaking jobs in Krakow? [5]


Almost certainly not. There aren't many jobs available even for Polish students, and practically none for foreign students. When making your plans, it's safest to assume that you will not get a job. Getting a job in Poland is never "easy", especially for young people.

Love / What documentation do I need to marry a Polish girl in Poland? [28]


At that age, you're going to have a big problem convincing anyone that you are serious. That's way below the normal marrying age in Poland, or anywhere in Europe, and at that age, Poles are still considered children. By serious ties to India, I mean proof that you are firmly established, A high-paying job that you have held for about five years, a successful business that you have run for about five years, your own home or substantial property, things like that. A 19-year-old is not going to have any of that. Showing a consul Twitters for six months is just plain ridiculous, and will only show him that you are still not yet mature enough to think seriously about marriage.


This is exactly what the consul is going to ask.