Relocation to Poland: Success Story

In the last couple of years, Poland has become one of the most popular countries for IT specialists to relocate to.

 

We sent a few questions to an employee of ours who relocated to Poland a year ago. Here’s what she said:

 

✔ Why did you choose Poland as your destination?

In our case, Poland is the simplest country in terms of legalization, as all you need to move is a PBH visa. The cultural differences are minimal, so that also helps.

 

✔ How soon did you find a place to live?

First we came to a resort town. But even though it was the end of the season, it took us about 2 weeks to find a residence. There weren’t many listings, and if a suitable one came up, within 15-20 minutes a line of 3 to 7 potential renters formed. We ended up renting the first apartment we reached, and we never regretted it. The owners were great people and the neighborhood was awesome, too.

 

✔ How different are the living costs compared to Belarus (food, utilities, mandatory payments)?

Things like rent and utility bills are much higher.

As for food, the prices seem to be about 20% lower, but at this point it’s hard to say.

 

✔ Do you feel any lack of communication?

I don’t think so, but I guess I do after all).

For now, of course, I have a communication barrier in terms of spoken Polish, so all of my spoken communication is surface-level. Polish people are very communicative and tolerant (at least those we have met), so our social circle is narrow, but it exists)

 

✔ Do you need to have a good knowledge of Polish for daily communication?

That depends on your definition of “good knowledge”. Polish turned out to be pretty easy to understand, but not so easy to speak. If necessary, you can always switch to English, and I have never had a situation where I failed to communicate.

 

✔ Is there a difference between our/their healthcare system, and free/paid Polish medical care?

I haven’t had the experience. I do know that it takes a long time to make a doctor’s appointment, regardless of whether you pay for it or not. But that depends on the city, medical establishment, doctor, and many other factors.

 

Also, you can get a consultation and prescription online, if it concerns basic illnesses that don’t require check-ups.