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Contracting in Poland

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    Contracting in Poland

    Any advice on a good rate for Poland compared to say a normal rate of £500 per day working away from home in the UK? It would be helpful if we had subforums for each country listing things to be aware of, general living costs, accomodation etc. just a thought.

    #2
    Originally posted by BigRed View Post
    Any advice on a good rate for Poland compared to say a normal rate of £500 per day working away from home in the UK? It would be helpful if we had subforums for each country listing things to be aware of, general living costs, accomodation etc. just a thought.
    I went for one and the rate was like 100 quid a day.

    However, next role is like eons more than that and I can work from Lodz if I want. However again, things don't seem that cheap in Poland when I checked hotels etc...

    Plus you get to eat pork only mostly....

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by stek View Post
      I went for one and the rate was like 100 quid a day.

      Plus you get to eat pork only mostly....
      Haha, this made me laught. Even though I've been out of Poland for two decades, I was born there and I can assure you quality of food is FAR better to the one in this country, which is a topic of jokes all over the world (probably a bit unfairly, I think the US should take top spot as worst food goes).

      I only visited Poland twice in the last 20 years, most recently in 2006, but my brother goes there several times a year. As The Guardian pointed out, hotels in Poland are one of the cheapest in the EU. Last time I stayed, I paid something like £20 per night in a pretty good place, although you will pay much more if you stay, say, in the center of Warsaw.

      But like-for-like, it will always be cheaper. If you are comparing options in the center of Warsaw or Krawów, then to be fair compare with Central London or Paris. Looking at it this way, it is cheap.


      Can't comment on contracting rates, but perms can make something like 12,000 - 15,000PLN per month gross (2400-3000GBP) before tax. How do I know? I sent CV's to a couple agencies in Poland early this year and they called me back with several offers. This may not seem that much, but you need to adjust for purchasing power partiality, things like food or accommodation can be dramatically cheaper.

      Whereas low skilled rates in Poland are a joke (hence a million Poles here), it can be different for pros. I know a few professionals in Poland and they all have much better life quality than me here in the UK and I wonder if made a mistake coming here as a teen. They all built houses that here would be unattainable and cost like for like at least a couple £mil more. Things are changing, this country is not what it used to.
      Last edited by cntl1; 18 August 2016, 07:12.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by cntl1 View Post
        Haha, this made me laught. Even though I've been out of Poland for two decades, I was born there and I can assure you quality of food is FAR better to the one in this country, which is a topic of jokes all over the world (probably a bit unfairly, I think the US should take top spot as worst food goes).

        I only visited Poland twice in the last 20 years, most recently in 2006, but my brother goes there several times a year. As The Guardian pointed out, hotels in Poland are one of the cheapest in the EU. Last time I stayed, I paid something like £20 per night in a pretty good place, although you will pay much more if you stay, say, in the center of Warsaw.

        But like-for-like, it will always be cheaper. If you are comparing options in the center of Warsaw or Krawów, then to be fair compare with Central London or Paris. Looking at it this way, it is cheap.


        Can't comment on contracting rates, but perms can make something like 12,000 - 15,000PLN per month gross (2400-3000GBP) before tax. How do I know? I sent CV's to a couple agencies in Poland early this year and they called me back with several offers. This may not seem that much, but you need to adjust for purchasing power partiality, things like food or accommodation can be dramatically cheaper.

        Whereas low skilled rates in Poland are a joke (hence a million Poles here), it can be different for pros. I know a few professionals in Poland and they all have much better life quality than me here in the UK and I wonder if made a mistake coming here as a teen. They all built houses that here would be unattainable and cost like for like at least a couple £mil more. Things are changing, this country is not what it used to.

        True ,hotels are cheap and things changing for Poland . Rates are like 15k PLN a month but that's outside of Warsaw.
        Might be good experience for you and women are beautiful and fit. They get hot summers and snowy winters

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by cntl1 View Post
          I was born there and I can assure you quality of food is FAR better to the one in this country, which is a topic of jokes all over the world.
          I totally disagree, if you know where to buy or eat it we have some of the best in the world.
          If you are talking about supermarkets, you probably have a point
          The Chunt of Chunts.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by MrMarkyMark View Post
            I totally disagree, if you know where to buy or eat it we have some of the best in the world.
            If you are talking about supermarkets, you probably have a point
            Good point about restaurants, but then you can find good restaurants in every country.

            I'd be interested to hear from the OP what he finds out about current contracting rates in Poland. In the late 1990s I had a short contract with a US company that opened their first factory there, as a technical interpreter. Back then I was impressed with the rates they were willing to pay me for this type of work, something like £500 per week for a few (3-4?) hours of work per day. I thought that was pretty good in the day (adjusted for inflation that's around £800, a small fortune in Poland in the day). Then I came back to this country and worked for something like £3 in a kitchen washing dishes as I worked for my degree, quickly jumped ship to Starbucks making coffee), before getting back on the pro ladder.

            If I'd stayed in Poland, I would likely be sorted by now. I eventually got back on the "pro" ladder in the UK, but I can see my peers in Poland and they seem to have it much better than me. Maybe I am stupid, lol

            I've seen the same thing with my Chinese friends (Mrs cntl is Chinese). Mrs did her postgrad here in the UK with folks from her home town who returned to China after graduation. They have very high positions at their respective companies, one is just below the CEO (whatever the term is) and would laugh at me if he knew what I made here. Folks born here may not appreciate the head-start that gives. I am not complaining, actually, that's just a fact of life everywhere.

            My point is, I guess, things are changing and even at 40 I feel young enough to seriously consider changing countries again. I mentioned in another thread I took a break from work and went travelling fulltime. No country is perfect, and the mindset and outlook you bring with you also determines if you like a particular place and what you make of it. But there are objective, measurable things too that impact on your life in addition to your attitude. To me UK has lost its luster.

            Comment


              #7
              Having talked to the agent I've lost interest in this one, after several attempts to get me to name a rate and me saying I'd need some time for research they finally said they had a range of 300-350 euros, so that's me out. Even if it's dirt cheap in Poland 90% of my money goes on the wife and kids.

              It would be nice to have a summary somewhere for each country listing things to take account of though.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by BigRed View Post
                Having talked to the agent I've lost interest in this one, after several attempts to get me to name a rate and me saying I'd need some time for research they finally said they had a range of 300-350 euros, so that's me out. Even if it's dirt cheap in Poland 90% of my money goes on the wife and kids.

                It would be nice to have a summary somewhere for each country listing things to take account of though.
                You didn't mention what type of job it is you'd be doing there? I think this is crucial to really make sense of the rates you've quoted. This is not too far off from the lower end of the contracting spectrum over here, tbh, I've certainly seen some contracting posts on Reed and the like at £300 per day. So it would help to know if we are comparing apples to oranges or not.
                Last edited by cntl1; 18 August 2016, 08:50. Reason: typos, extra info added

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by cntl1 View Post
                  I only visited Poland twice in the last 20 years, most recently in 2006, but my brother goes there several times a year. As The Guardian pointed out, hotels in Poland are one of the cheapest in the EU. Last time I stayed, I paid something like £20 per night in a pretty good place, although you will pay much more if you stay, say, in the center of Warsaw.

                  But like-for-like, it will always be cheaper. If you are comparing options in the center of Warsaw or Krawów, then to be fair compare with Central London or Paris. Looking at it this way, it is cheap.


                  Can't comment on contracting rates, but perms can make something like 12,000 - 15,000PLN per month gross (2400-3000GBP) before tax. How do I know? I sent CV's to a couple agencies in Poland early this year and they called me back with several offers. This may not seem that much, but you need to adjust for purchasing power partiality, things like food or accommodation can be dramatically cheaper.
                  I would say that is quite high - this is the sort salary junior to mid permies would command over here for general IT roles.
                  ______________________
                  Don't get mad...get even...

                  Comment


                    #10
                    My post was a bit tongue in cheek, I like Russian food and Polish is not a lot different, although I can't see how packet borscht soup can work lol!!

                    Back in the day of the sorely missed Freelance Informer sometime in the 90's there was a sort of poll to find the highest paid contractor, and the winner was some guy contracting in Poland on £13,000 a week.

                    No idea what he was doing, but it stuck in my mind all these years!

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