Poland introduces new investment accounts and sees shift in labor migration

Poland is preparing for the introduction of Personal Investment Accounts (OKI) starting in January 2027. These voluntary accounts aim to encourage citizens to move from traditional saving to investing by offering tax exemptions on domestic assets. Under the new system, investors can exempt up to 100,000 PLN for investment assets like stocks and funds, and up to 25,000 PLN for safer assets such as bonds and deposits. However, these exemptions apply only to Polish assets; foreign investments will be subject to a new asset-value tax from the first invested zloty.

Separately, trends in Polish labor migration show a shift in motivation. While the number of people sent abroad by employment agencies is declining—dropping from 154,882 in 2023 to an estimated 129,406 in 2025—work in countries like Germany remains a popular method for short-term capital accumulation. Rather than seeking permanent emigration, many workers now opt for short-term stays of a few months to save specific amounts of money before returning to Poland.