Finding work as a junior programmer in Warsaw

Last year I came to Poland on an Erasmus experience, and I ended up meeting a guy in Poland. We moved in together and I stayed for a year and a half in Poland. However, I still had to complete my university degree in my country. So, after a lot of deliberation, we decided to come to my country together so that I can finish my degree and try to build a life over here.

Now that we're back here, I'm remembering why I left in the first place. When you are far from a place, you only remember the good things. That's what made me think that we could build a life over here. But in reality it's different.

So here is my question. I would like to come back to Poland immediately after I finish my degree. I am studying to become a programmer. I would like to know the following:

a) Will I find work in Poland as a programmer without experience?
b) What would be the approximate salary I will be offered?

I am currently studying Polish for around 2 hour every day, I can read well however my understanding and speaking capabilities are still quite low, but I believe that in one year I will be able to understand 80% of conversations and be a bit more fluent.

I know that it would make more sense to stay here and get a bit of experience and then move back, however living here is taking its toll on us, and I do not want to put any roots in this country, because if I stay too long I will end up never having the courage to change the country again.

Thanks!

Merged: Programmer salary in Warsaw

Hi guys!

I was in Warsaw 3 years ago on Erasmus with my friend and we are planning to return to live there as soon as we finish our studies as we fell in love with the country!! I will be graduating in a degree in Computer Science this year and I have started to apply for programmer jobs (mainly Java) in Warsaw, Poland.

I am currently discussing a job offer with a company based in Warsaw, and have been asked how much I expect to be paid. I need some help as I do not want to propose a too low salary and get paid at a minimum rate or worse propose a high salary and get passed over. From internet forums I got a very mixed idea, as some forums where quoting as low as 1500zl netto and others up to 5000zl brutto.

Thank you for your help!

tiny.cc/hays-report 11th page "Woj. Mazowieckie" says that Java programmer was earning in 2011 min 5 000 max 18 000 median 10 000 PLN gross. If you're just graduating, then ask for the minimum and don't accept anything below 4000.

Thank you!

I forgot to add that provided that you have some experience in Java, like few months internship, part time job during studies or simply few bigger projects done in free time.

I have done quite large projects in Java, such as an Android navigation program and also a fully functioning search engine. I am doing my thesis (sandbox for testing out installations) in C and C++, but I personally prefer Java, it is more flexible and understandable :D I feel very comfortable using the language however I have never used Java in a commercial software house.

That should be enough to ask for this much.

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.

I meant that these are market wages, that's why she should not accept lower salary, just search until somebody offers her at least that. If she wanted to save, she should not come to Poland in the first place. In Munich, where I am now, entry level Java programmer salary is around 2000 eur net and there are many places in the world with even higher pay.

I'm not moving to Poland to become rich, I'm moving as I like the country and the culture. Salary for entry level programmers in my country is around 1300 eur, but cost of life is almost double of that in Poland. I do not wish to continue living in my country, and having been to Poland for a year and got to learn the culture and also have a good start on the language, I think that Poland is the most logical choice. I believe that with time and experience I will be able to earn a decent salary in Poland and live quite well off (correct me if I'm wrong).

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.

do not worry warsawprog dominic just likes to pour cold water on people's plans, it makes him feel better.
in fairness to him he does often offer a realistic view.....

4000pln gross gives 2853pln net = 685eur. Exactly half of what is in your country and prices are more than 50%. Are you sure that it's good deal? Expect, that you will be earning less than local people, because lower knowledge of language and smaller network of contacts. Where are you from?

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.

I agree that the starting salary is quite low, but I was expecting it to pick up in 2-3 years. I am from Malta.

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.

In Wroclaw, the salary for a Junior Programmer (just graduated from school with no experience) is about 3500 - 4000 PLN Netto - this is about 1000 euro. The cost of living in Wroclaw is lower than Warsaw and there is a direct proportion - salaries in Warsaw in general and in IT tend to be higher as well than in Wroclaw. Also the amount of new foreign investment and job openings in Poland makes your career perspectives look very well. I'm in Poland for 3 years now and I am a C# Developer. Trust me, your salary will raise from 4000PLN to double in a matter of a couple of years ;)

WE is right your salary will double in a few years with a good firm. You may need to get offers from other companies to prove your worth. But salaries tend to bottom out at 10000pln a month for developers unless you go into project management and lead teams.

Typical programmer salary is about 1000EUR netto for C++ language. Good luck with finding excellent job!