Why Poland
Poland has the largest tech workforce in Central Europe, with major engineering hubs in Warsaw (finance, enterprise SaaS), Krakow (a dense cluster of global R&D centers), and Wroclaw and Poznan (gaming, automotive software). English is widely used as a working language inside international teams, even though Polish remains the language of daily life.
Work permits
Non-EU citizens generally need a work permit tied to a specific employer, plus a temporary residence permit to stay longer than 90 days. Poland also runs an accelerated process for IT specialists that can shorten the usual permit wait — ask your prospective employer whether they use it.
EU/EEA citizens and their family members can work in Poland without a permit, only registering their stay after arrival.
Cost of living
Warsaw is the most expensive city in the country but still notably cheaper than Berlin, Amsterdam, or London for comparable rent and everyday costs. Krakow and Wroclaw run cheaper still. Salaries for mid-to-senior engineering roles have risen quickly over the past few years, particularly at international companies with Polish delivery centers.