Labour Market

In 2023, in terms of the average monthly gross wage the region has been occupying the last position in the country for several years now (83.4% of national average). In the enterprise sector, on the other hand, in 2023, the average monthly gross wage of the warmińsko-mazurskie voivodeship (5 367,00 PLN) reached 80.7% of national average and it was also the lowest indicator among all Polish regions. However, in Olsztyn – the capital and main economic center of the voivodeship, the situation looks a little better (5 750 PLN, i.e. 96.9% of national average and 116.2% of regional average iun 2023). Although behind Katowice, Warsaw, Tricity, Poznań or Wrocław, Olsztyn remains ahead of such cities as Toruń and Białystok.

Considering the monthly registered unemployment rate (2,2% in April 2023)

Economic Activity

There are several business environment institutions located in Olsztyn which have an impact on the regional economic development, i.e.: Centre for Innovation and Technology Transfer by the University of Warmia and Mazury, the Warmia and Mazury Regional Development Agency S.C., the Association of Private Commerce and Services, the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Chamber of Craft and Entrepreneurship, the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Union of Private Employers, Entrepreneurship and New Technologies Institute, The Polish Chamber of Tourism Warmińsko-Mazurskie Local Office, Work Service S.C. Olsztyn Office and the Association of Polish Regional Breweries. There also are two research institutes operating in Olsztyn, i.e. the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences and the Wojciech Kętrzyński Centre for Research and Technology.

In 2023 in Olsztyn, there were 23.7 thousand economic entities entered into the REGON register, the majority of which (96.2%) belonged to micro-enterprises employing up to 9 people, whereas the whole SMES sector constituted 99.9% of registered companies. Economic entity saturation per 10 thousand inhabitants (1,375 enterprises) placed the city on the 14th position among Poland’s 18 main cities and the region (927 enterprises) – on the 13th position in the country.

In 2023, 224 enterprises in Olsztyn belonged to commercial companies with foreign capital participation (28.7% of such entities in the region) and the most recognizable foreign investors in Warmia and Mazury include: Michelin Poland S.C. (France) – chemical industry, vehicle tyre production in Olsztyn,Philips Lighting (Netherlands) – electricity industry, lighting frames production in Kętrzyn, Smithfield Food (USA) – food industry, shareholder in Animex meat processing plants in Ełk, Morliny and Ekodrob in Iława, Heye&Heine Glass (Germany) – glass processing in Działdowo, Ikea (Sweden) – furniture industry, furniture plants in Lubawa and Wielbark, Safilin (France) – flax processing in Miłaków and Szczytno, Heineken (Netherlands) – brewery in Elbląg, Alstom Power (France) – turbines manufacture in Elbląg as well as Bianca Modern (Germany) – clothing industry in Elbląg.