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Poland has firmly established itself as a global hub for IT nearshoring, underpinned by a highly skilled and scalable engineering workforce, strategic proximity to Western Europe, and an increasingly digital-friendly regulatory environment. With the IT services market projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.15%, reaching $13.1 billion by 2029 (Statista), Poland’s sustained expansion reflects its strategic role in supporting digital transformation, enterprise modernisation, and distributed software development across international markets.
Poland’s unique combination of cost-efficiency, engineering excellence, and innovation capacity positions it as a strategic location for enterprises aiming to optimize their technology delivery models. With a well-established track record in IT outsourcing and nearshoring, the country offers robust capabilities in areas such as end-to-end software development, cloud migration, infrastructure modernisation, and systems integration. Its ability to deliver high-performance teams and maintain stringent SLAs (Service Level Agreements) has made Poland a preferred destination for firms looking to scale operations without compromising on service reliability or technical depth.
In this article, we’ll examine the structural and operational factors driving Poland’s emergence as a nearshoring powerhouse—ranging from its optimised total cost of engagement (TCE) and STEM-oriented academic pipeline to its advanced digital infrastructure and rapidly expanding innovation clusters. We’ll also analyse the strategic rationale behind the presence of multinational technology firms such as Google, Visa, and Oracle in Poland’s key tech hubs, and assess how DevsData LLC has leveraged the country’s deep technical talent and agile delivery capabilities to support complex, domain-specific solutions across global markets..
Poland’s software development sector is the largest in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), leading the region in both market size and innovation, where the key driver of this growth is IT outsourcing. As of 2023, Poland’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector employed approximately 142100 ICT specialists, according to Eurostat. The country’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) exports are projected to reach approximately €12 billion by 2026, reflecting a consistent annual growth rate of about 3.6% .
ICT exports from Poland are expected to reach $13 billion by 2026, driven by a consistent 3.6% annual growth rate, making it an emerging star in the global tech scene. This is hardly surprising given the thriving ecosystem of established businesses and tech startups moving the country ahead.
In addition, Poland is home to two privately held unicorns—DocPlanner and ElevenLabs—and several high-growth startups like ICEYE, Booksy, and Brainly that are poised to join their ranks. These success stories, alongside an expanding venture capital landscape, underscore Poland’s growing influence in the global tech industry.
Poland’s appeal to multinational giants like Google, Oracle, and IBM, who have already established operations there, speaks volumes about its competitiveness. In 2023, the Polish Investment Agency (PAIH) facilitated 74 high-quality investment projects, drawing investors from countries like the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Notably, Visa will open a global technology hub in Poland, the first of its kind in Central and Eastern Europe, set to employ 1,500 tech specialists.
Major tech hubs such as Warsaw, Krakow, and Wroclaw are central to software development sector growth. These cities host a substantial portion of the IT workforce, with Kraków alone employing approximately 55000 IT professionals. These urban centers are renowned for their robust communities in areas like Java development, cloud computing, and AI/ML, supported by a strong educational infrastructure and a continuous influx of ICT graduates.With its growing talent pool and competitive environment, Poland, with solid efforts, is becoming a go-to location for IT nearshoring.
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Poland is attracting all kinds of companies, from big global firms growing their presence in Europe to fast-moving startups looking to scale quickly, but what what makes Poland stand out as a top destination?
Despite rising costs and salaries worldwide, Poland remains a cost-effective choice for IT services, particularly given the excellent quality of its tech talent. Organizations are drawn to Poland not solely for affordability but for its workforce’s unmatched quality, availability, and stability, as well as the business-friendly environment.
With increasing investment from multinational companies, Poland’s tech sector has rapidly matured—broadening its talent base beyond pure engineering roles. Today, the market not only offers deep software development expertise but also a wide array of complementary roles, including business analysts, product managers, scrum masters, and DevOps engineers. This evolution reflects a well-rounded and scalable IT ecosystem, making Poland a strategic choice for building diverse and high-performing tech teams.
The table below shows how hiring mid-level tech professionals in Poland offers a significant cost advantage over the US—enabling high-quality teams at a fraction of the cost.
| Position (middle-level) | Average salary in Poland (USD) | Average salary in the US (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Frontend developer | $48638 | $109186 |
| Backend developer | $49828 | $166396 |
| Full stack developer | $24328 | $159917 |
| DevOps engineer | $49828 | $132660 |
| Mobile developer | $22000 | $112876 |
Poland is perfectly located in the heart of Europe, with most European capitals within a two-hour flight. This means that teams can work in the same or very close time zones, allowing distributed teams to meet regularly and without considerable travel or financial stress.
Poland is an essential site for enterprises in the Americas and Asia as part of a follow-the-sun strategy, an operational model that leverages global time zones to enable round-the-clock productivity, where teams in different regions hand off work to each other across time zones.. Furthermore, many Poles, particularly those in modern locations such as Krakow, where international business is the standard, are willing to start work later or earlier, provided the job fits most other candidate requirements.
Poland boasts a robust and well-educated tech workforce, making it an attractive destination for companies seeking nearshore or offshore IT services. According to a 2023 report by Statista, Poland leads Central and Eastern Europe with over 400,000 software developers. And this talent pool isn’t just big; it’s fueled by top-notch education. According to studies in the ICT sector, over 70000 people registered in ICT programs for the academic year 2022–2023, continuing a trend of constant expansion, from Poland’s 400+ universities, including standout schools like the Warsaw University of Technology, Silesian University of Technology, AGH University of Science & Technology, which are listed in the QS World University Rankings 2024.
This means companies get access to talent pools that are innovative, well-educated, and ready to take on complex challenges.
Polish developers are experts in widely used programming languages, including JavaScript, Java, Python, Typescript, PHP, Node.js, AI, and data science. Nearly 75% of Polish software engineers have over 3 years of experience, ensuring a deep talent pool with the expertise to meet specific project requirements across a broad tech stack. The latest Coursera report places Poland’s tech professionals 9th in Europe, while Harvard Business Review ranks them an impressive 5th globally for technical skills.
In addition to hard skills, Polish engineers are known for their strong communication abilities, English proficiency, and adaptability in agile, cross-functional environments. This makes them not only technically competent but also effective contributors to distributed international teams—further increasing their value in nearshoring and global delivery models.
Ultimately, Poland offers far more than just cost-effective software development. It provides access to a highly capable, well-rounded talent pool that enables companies to build complex digital products, modernise legacy systems, and drive innovation—making it a strategic location for long-term technology partnerships.
While Poland offers a highly skilled and cost-effective IT talent pool, companies considering nearshoring must also navigate several operational challenges. From high developer turnover to complex labour laws and intense market competition, understanding these dynamics is essential for building a sustainable and successful presence in Poland’s tech landscape.
Tech talent is in high demand globally, especially in Poland, where developers are often presented with multiple job opportunities, which leads to frequent job changes. This high turnover rate can become a challenge for companies that want to rely on stable teams. While Poland offers a deep talent pool, retaining skilled developers requires more work—hiring the right people and keeping them engaged and motivated to stay in the company.
Although Poland’s employment laws are within EU regulations, foreign enterprises may find operating there challenging. Poland is ranked 4th in Europe on the 2023 Global Business Complexity Index, with requirements beyond typical practices, including comprehensive reporting, often altering rules, and particular HR and payroll demands.
Poland’s reputation for high-quality and cost-effective developers has made it a prime destination for nearshoring and offshoring software development. However, this demand has created a highly competitive talent market. With more than 67000 software development companies operating in the country, businesses are vying for the attention of top developers, each offering attractive opportunities.
As a result, companies looking to hire top-tier talent in Poland may encounter significant competition. Whether establishing a remote development team or opening a local R&D hub, standing out in Poland’s saturated tech market, where experienced developers are in high demand and frequently courted by both domestic and international employers, is critical to attracting and retaining the right candidates.
When you are looking for nearshore or offshore software development in Poland, the most important initial step is picking the right cooperation model that suits your company’s needs. Below is the breakdown of three popular models—IT outstaffing, IT recruitment, and Employer of Record (EoR)—to help in decision-making.
IT outstaffing is like leasing developers for a specific project or task. You can adjust your team quickly and maintain direct control over the development process. However, outstaffed developers may not be as committed to your product long-term, and intellectual property issues can arise unless you have a clear and legally sound contract in place. This model is best suited for short-term projects that require immediate flexibility.
IT recruitment in Poland allows companies to build their own dedicated development teams by either partnering with a local recruitment agency or managing the hiring process independently. Whether through external support or in-house efforts, this approach offers full control over team composition, culture, and long-term integration with your internal operations. However, recruitment agencies usually don’t cover HR, payroll, or employee benefits, so you’ll need to manage those aspects yourself. This model works well for companies looking to build a long-term, dedicated team in Poland.
An Employer of Record (EoR) lets you bypass the need to set up a legal entity in Poland. The EoR becomes the legal employer of developers, taking care of payroll, taxes, and benefits. This allows them to focus on managing the development work while they take care of the legal and administrative side. However, businesses will still need to source their developers independently, as the EoR doesn’t assist with recruitment.
Poland’s competitive tech market requires companies to stand out when hiring top talent. Choosing the right nearshoring model, whether outstaffing, direct recruitment, or an Employer of Record, depends on your goals for flexibility, control, and legal complexity.
Establishing a dedicated Software R&D center in Poland goes far beyond typical outsourcing arrangements—it represents a strategic investment in innovation, talent development, and long-term value creation. Unlike models such as IT outstaffing or Employer of Record (EoR), which are often transactional and project-based, an R&D center is an embedded extension of your organisation’s core engineering capabilities.
This approach allows companies to build autonomous, high-performing product teams that are fully aligned with internal goals, values, and development roadmaps. With access to Poland’s deep and diverse talent pool, companies can nurture specialised skills, drive continuous innovation, and retain institutional knowledge within the organisation—factors that are critical for sustainable tech leadership.
While setting up an R&D office involves higher initial costs and longer setup times, the long-term benefits are substantial. These include complete ownership of intellectual property, enhanced team loyalty, and a fully integrated innovation pipeline that supports rapid product evolution and cross-functional collaboration between HQ and nearshore teams. In addition, Poland’s location within the EU offers companies a strong legal and regulatory framework for IP protection and data security.
When navigating the complexities of building such an operation, partnering with a reliable and experienced firm can make all the difference. DevsData LLC offers tailored support for businesses looking to establish or scale R&D centers in major Polish tech hubs—covering everything from full-cycle IT recruitment and office setup to legal, payroll, and administrative services.
Company size: ~60 employees
Founding year: 2016
Headquarters: Brooklyn, NY, and Warsaw, Poland
As software nearshoring to Poland becomes a strategic priority for companies across Europe and North America, DevsData LLC has emerged as a trusted partner for businesses looking to build high-performing, cost-effective engineering teams in the region. Founded in Warsaw in 2016 by experienced Polish engineers, the company combines deep local market knowledge with a global delivery mindset—helping clients seamlessly navigate the Polish tech landscape.
With a network of over 65000 vetted professionals and offices in Warsaw, London, and New York, DevsData LLC specialises in backend and frontend development, mobile applications, big data, and AI-driven solutions. Their team also provides support for DevOps, cloud infrastructure, and advanced analytics—making them a natural fit for clients with complex, enterprise-grade development needs.
What sets DevsData apart is its founder-led approach, rigorous talent screening (with under 6% acceptance rate), and agile project execution. Unlike traditional outsourcing vendors, DevsData LLC focuses on long-term integration, cultural fit, and performance-based delivery—key factors for success in nearshoring relationships.
Whether helping clients scale remote product teams or advising on R&D center setup in Polish tech hubs like Warsaw, Krakow, and Wroclaw, DevsData LLC offers more than staffing—it delivers strategic partnership, operational reliability, and deep technical expertise that align with the evolving demands of 2025’s global technology market.
Client public testimonials showcase the company’s exceptional performance, backed by perfect 5.0 ratings on both Clutch and GoodFirms, a testament to an unwavering commitment to excellence.
A notable example of DevsData LLC’s technical expertise is their collaboration with a leading financial services company to develop a custom Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. The client sought a secure, intuitive platform to replace tools like Jira and Excel, aiming for a solution tailored to their specific project management and operational needs. The company delivered a fully integrated system featuring task tracking, role-based permissions, automated notifications, and comprehensive reporting, enhancing productivity and streamlining workflows.
With the sensitive nature of financial data in mind, DevsData LLC implemented robust security measures, including advanced encryption and compliance with strict audit requirements. This solution not only improved efficiency and reduced costs but also reinforced the company’s competitive edge in a highly regulated industry. You can read more information about their collaboration here.
Do you have software development and IT recruitment needs?
Learn more about DevsData LLC at general@devsdata.com or reach their team directly at www.devsdata.com.
Software nearshoring to Poland has evolved from a cost-saving tactic into a strategic growth enabler for companies in the US, UK, and across Europe. With its highly skilled IT workforce, deep expertise across modern tech stacks, and strong cultural and business alignment with Western markets, Poland offers a compelling blend of quality, efficiency, and scalability.
However, to fully capitalize on Poland’s potential, businesses must navigate key challenges—such as high competition for top-tier developers, complex local labour regulations, and the nuances of different cooperation models. Whether choosing IT outstaffing for flexibility, recruitment for full control, EoR for legal simplicity, or investing in a long-term R&D center, success depends on aligning the nearshoring model with the company’s goals, timeline, and operational needs.
Ultimately, Poland is not just a source of affordable talent—it’s a gateway to building dedicated, innovation-driven engineering teams that deliver sustained impact. Companies that invest strategically in the region stand to gain a durable competitive advantage through faster delivery, stronger IP ownership, and long-term technical excellence.
Combining technical excellence with market insight, DevsData LLC helps global businesses navigate the Polish nearshoring landscape. By providing scalable, custom-built solutions and ensuring top-tier security and compliance, the company empowers companies to optimize their IT operations and drive innovation in an increasingly competitive market.
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“I interviewed about a dozen different firms. DevsData LLC is truly exceptional – their backend developers are some of the best I’ve ever worked with. I’ve worked with a lot of very well-qualified developers, locally in San Francisco, and remotely, so that is not a compliment I offer lightly. I appreciate their depth of knowledge and their ability to get things done quickly. “
Nicholas Johnson
CEO of Orange Charger LLC,
Ex-Tesla Engineer,
Mentor at YCombinator
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