-We are a global power when it comes to e-commerce logistics-says Andrzej Korkus, president of the EWL employment agency. – We have infrastructure and technologies that allow you to set warehouses at an express pace. Logistics is no longer a barrier, but the lack of candidates and procedures that do not keep up with business pace.
The demand for employees in logistics is growing rapidly, which is confirmed by the data of employment agencies. Damian Guzman, Chief Operations in Gremi Personal, emphasizes that from March 2024 to March 2025. The number of job offers in this sector increased by as much as 30 percent. The problem intensifies in the fourth quarter when the e-commerce market enters the highest speed.
The number of shipments during the holiday season and during Black Friday can increase up to three times. In many e-commerce sectors, November and December are responsible for up to 40-60 percent. year -round number of orders. This means that companies must almost double employees in a very short time.
Most often it is missing warehousemen, people completing orders and forklift operatorsbut the deficit also applies to more specialized staff. As Damian Guzman lists, they are also wanted truck drivers with C+E permissions and Specialists for planning the supply chain. In trade, in turn, due to high rotation, it is almost still missing sellers and cashiers.
A particularly difficult situation is in western Poland, where logistics centers are concentrated. – Unemployment in these regions oscillates around three percent. This in practice means that there is nobody to recruit on the local market and a broader search is necessary – emphasizes Andrzej Korkus.
Frustrating gap in the regulations
Companies use employees from abroad, but the process of employing them causes them further challenges. The simplified path of legalization of seasonal work only applies to agriculture and gastronomy. Logistics and trade – industries that record the greatest increase in the demand for employees in the fourth quarter – are not covered by these regulations. Companies are obliged to use the standard, time -consuming procedure for obtaining type A permit.
In 2024, 57.4 thous. applications for seasonal permits, but only 16.1 thousand were issued, of which 15.4 thousand It concerned agriculture. For the period between September and December, there were only 2.9 thousand. permits, mainly for citizens of Ukraine, Colombia and the Philippines.
A simple solution that the market is unlocked
The postulated change is simple: adding sections G (trade) and H (transport and storage) to the appropriate regulation. As Andrzej Korkus emphasizes, such a movement would allow to transfer the service of applications to poviat labor offices, where the work of officials is smaller, which is why you wait less for decisions. Companies could plan employment more flexible, and voivodship offices would be relieved, focusing on specialists key for the economy.
– The idea of including transport and trade in the statutory definition of seasonal work is justified. Increased demand for employees does not only apply to the upcoming holidays, but also other periods of the year, caused, for example, by promotional campaigns or the exchange of collections in the clothing industry. To meet our needs in this area, we use the support of our internal employment agencies as well as external partners. – comments Robert Warda, Business Process Implementation Director at DSV. – Such a change would simplify and accelerate the legalization of employment of foreigners, which would allow you to react faster to staff shortages during periods of increased demand.
In some EU countries, the law has already been adapted to the modern economy. Portugal Lists trade and land transport in the seasonal work catalog. France allows seasonal work in transport and storage, but sets the condition: The company must prove that the need for additional hands to work results from a regularly returning summit, not constant demand. This gives local business an advantage in the fight for employees.
A change in regulations would not solve all problems
Even the best procedures and sustainable migration policy will not reverse adverse demographic trends. Forecasts indicate that Until 2050, the population in production age in Poland will shrink up to 4.6 million people. And now we have a high percentage of working in this group. An additional challenge is the situation in Ukraine. – Before the start of the full -screen war, men constituted 60 percent. candidates recruited by EWL – says Andrzej Korkus. – Today there are twice lesswhich additionally narrows the pool of available employees in selected industries.
Damian Guzman draws attention to one more aspect: staff aging. – In the coming years, many jobs will be released due to their retirement. Without new candidates, the deficit will grow – he assesses.
According to employers, the introduction of logistics and trade into the catalog of seasonal works would not solve all problems, but is a step in the right direction. It would allow you to plan employment more flexing and relieve the offices. As Andrzej Korkus emphasizes, this is not about the revolution, but tuning the system to the rhythm and characteristics of the economy, which is completely different than two decades ago, thanks to the development of technology and changes in consumer behavior.
The labor department is cooling enthusiasm
The Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy, however, cools the enthusiasm of the industry, pointing to legal and procedural barriers. As the ministry explains in a commentary for Business Insider, the current regulations result from the EU directive 2014/36/EU, and Poland decided on its narrowest implementation possible, limiting seasonal work to sectors, where it is of character only seasonal, like agriculture and tourism.
The main problem with including trade and logistics is that in these industries work can be both seasonal and permanent. According to the ministry Such an extension would lead to a situation in which the same position could be legalized in three different ways: by a seasonal work permit, standard work permit or a declaration of entrusting work to a foreigner.
This, in turn,, contrary to the postulates of employers, would not simplify, and complicated the procedures. The offices would have to examine in each case whether work is actually seasonalwhich, according to the ministry, would constitute an additional burden and would affect the extension of the dates of issuing documents. As a result, instead of accelerating, such a change could further delay the process of legalization of employment.
