Offshoring to Poland

Poland is the leader among all CEE countries in terms of offshoring as it accounts for almost 25% of the global services market in the CEE. Furthermore, the industry is experiencing double-digit growth each year. Therefore Poland has recently joined the global leaders of the offshoring group (Philippines, India, China and Brazil). According to many rankings, Poland is in first place in the EU and third in the world after the Philippines, India and China for shared services centers.

Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan, and Szczecin are just some of the key locations that are primed for the outsourcing market.

Key Assets for Offshoring to Poland

proximity to and relationships with Western Europe,
political and economic stability,
low labor and operational costs,
its qualified and educated workforce,
depreciation of the zloty.

To learn more about favorable conditions for doing business in Poland see „Why Poland„.

Among many other shared services, Poland specializes in business analytics, HR, finance/banking and accounting, multilingual contact centers and tele-information network management. The latest newly realized opportunity is in the IT business as Poland starts to attract software development companies because of the recognized qualifications and experience of its software engineers. Many believe that the expansion of outsourcing in heavy industry, commercial trade and telecommunications will result in further development.

Business Incentives

There are many incentives available for foreign investors who want to establish their business (available also when offshoring to Poland). The main types of which are:

European Union cash grants,
Multi-Annual Support Programme from Polish budget,
local authorities support,
tax exemption,
staff training,
product development,
R&D support.

PZC is open to any queries concerning offshoring to Poland. We would be happy to provide you with the necessary information, assisting also in detailed location studies, and potentially in the further steps aimed at the successful launch of your sourcing center’s operation.

Why Poland Is Europe’s Leading Nearshore Destination

Poland has emerged as the top nearshoring and offshoring destination in Europe, attracting major operations from companies like Google, Amazon, Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse, Shell, and hundreds of mid-market firms. The country combines EU membership, a highly educated workforce, competitive costs, and excellent infrastructure in a business-friendly environment.

Key Advantages

Factor	Poland’s Position
IT professionals	400,000+ software developers, one of the largest talent pools in the EU
University graduates	500,000+ annually, including 80,000+ in STEM fields
Language skills	High English proficiency; German, French, Spanish also widely spoken
Time zone	CET/CEST — full working day overlap with Western Europe, 6-hour overlap with US East Coast
Salary levels	40-60% lower than Western EU for comparable skills and quality
EU membership	Full EU single market access, GDPR compliance, EU regulatory framework
Infrastructure	Modern office space, fiber broadband, international airports in 8+ cities

Major Offshoring Hubs in Poland

Warsaw — capital city, largest talent pool, financial services hub, headquarters of most international firms in Poland. Premium office market with competitive rents for a major European capital.

Kraków — second largest city, strongest IT and BPO cluster, home to 200+ shared service centers. Major employers include Google, IBM, Motorola, Shell, and HSBC. University city with excellent talent pipeline.

Wrocław — fast-growing tech hub, particularly strong in software development and R&D. Companies include Credit Suisse, Nokia, Volvo, and HP. Lower costs than Warsaw or Kraków with high talent availability.

Łódź — emerging nearshore center with competitive costs (20-30% lower than Warsaw), growing tech community, and improving infrastructure. Polish government designated it as a priority investment zone.

Gdańsk/Tri-City — northern Poland hub, strong in IT, financial services, and maritime/logistics. Companies include Amazon, Intel, Thomson Reuters. High quality of life attracts and retains talent.

Services Commonly Offshored to Poland

Software development — full-stack, mobile, cloud, DevOps, quality assurance
IT infrastructure and support — NOC operations, helpdesk, system administration
Finance and accounting (F&A) — accounts payable/receivable, general ledger, financial reporting
Customer service — multilingual support centers, technical support, sales operations
Research and development — engineering, data science, product development
Legal process outsourcing — contract review, compliance, document management
HR and payroll administration — recruitment process outsourcing, payroll, benefits administration

How We Help You Set Up

Zalewski Consulting provides end-to-end support for establishing your nearshore operations in Poland:

Feasibility assessment — cost modeling, location analysis, talent availability research
Entity setup — company formation (sp. z o.o. or branch office), tax registration, ZUS enrollment
Office space — sourcing and lease negotiation for office space in your chosen city
Employment — labor law compliance, employment contracts, work permit arrangements for non-EU staff
Ongoing support — accounting and bookkeeping, payroll, corporate secretarial, and tax compliance

Tax Incentives for Offshoring Operations

Companies establishing operations in Poland can access significant tax incentives: Polish Investment Zone CIT exemptions (up to 15 years), R&D tax relief (up to 200% deduction of qualifying costs), IP Box regime (5% effective CIT rate on income from qualified intellectual property), and EU grants for investment projects creating new jobs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why choose Poland for offshoring?

Poland is Europe’s top nearshoring destination offering: 400,000+ IT professionals, 50,000+ university graduates annually in STEM fields, EU timezone (convenient for Western Europe), competitive salaries (40-60% lower than Western EU), multilingual workforce, and excellent digital infrastructure.

What services are commonly offshored to Poland?

Commonly offshored: software development, IT support, finance and accounting (F&A), customer service, business process outsourcing (BPO), R&D centers, shared service centers (SSCs), and specialized engineering. Major cities: Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław, Łódź, Gdańsk.

How does Zalewski Consulting help with offshoring?

We assist with: entity setup (company formation or branch office), office space sourcing, employment and labor law compliance, payroll and HR administration, tax structuring for intragroup services, and ongoing corporate and accounting support for your Polish operations.

Content prepared by the Zalewski Consulting business advisory team. Reviewed for accuracy as of 2026.

Offshoring to Poland