IT Jobs for Fresh CS Graduates in Warsaw: Realistic Expectations and Opportunities

If you're a fresh CS graduate considering moving to Warsaw for an IT job, you need to hear the honest truth: the market for junior developers is extremely competitive right now. The IT sector in Poland is going through a contraction, and opportunities for entry-level positions are scarce. But that doesn't mean it's impossible—it just means you need to be strategic.

The Current Market Reality

The Bad News

Warsaw's IT market is tougher than it was a few years ago. Major factors contributing to this:

• Industry contraction: The Polish IT sector has experienced significant layoffs and hiring freezes. Companies that were growing aggressively are now consolidating.
• Junior role shortage: Most companies are cutting entry-level positions. They'd rather hire mid-level developers or use contractors.
• Non-EU citizen barrier: If you're not an EU citizen, hiring you requires extensive paperwork, visa sponsorship, and approval from company management. Most startups and small companies won't bother for a junior developer.
• Non-Polish speaker disadvantage: While English is common in IT, not speaking Polish significantly reduces your opportunities, especially at Polish companies.
• Competition: You're competing not just with other international graduates but with Polish developers who have the same skills, language advantage, and visa simplicity.

What Hiring Managers Actually Say

From an actual IT hiring manager: "As a hiring manager, you are facing almost impossible odds. If I have an open position, I will automatically filter out any non-EU citizens simply because hiring a non-EU citizen requires additional justifications, approvals from the company's managing director to cover the cost of the 3rd party company assisting us with the paperwork and documentation of the foreign employee, plus an additional 2-4 months to wait for your work permit to be ready. Why would I or any other hiring manager want to go through all that just to hire a fresh graduate?"

Why Junior Roles Are Disappearing

Business Economics

Companies aren't training juniors as much because:

• Juniors require significant mentorship time from senior developers
• The cost of onboarding and training doesn't justify the output for most companies
• It's cheaper to hire experienced developers or use offshore contractors
• Remote work and outsourcing make hiring cheaper labor abroad more viable

The Senior Developer Glut

Many mid-level and senior developers were laid off and are now applying for junior positions. This means your competition pool is massive, and you're at the bottom of the list.

What About Your Chances?

Be Honest With Yourself

Without EU citizenship: Very slim. One developer with 4 years of experience faced deportation risk after being laid off. You're competing in an incredibly difficult market even with experience.

Without Polish language skills: Reduced, but not eliminated. English is sufficient in many tech companies, but you're limiting yourself.

With just a CS degree and no portfolio/projects: Nearly impossible. Companies want to see proof of your skills beyond your degree.

Strategies to Improve Your Chances

1. Build a Strong Portfolio Before Moving

• Real projects on GitHub: Not just academic assignments—actual projects you've built
• Contributions to open source: Shows you can work with real code and communities
• Personal projects: Web apps, tools, anything that demonstrates practical skills
• Technical blog: Writing about what you've learned shows communication skills

2. Specialize in High-Demand Areas

General software development is oversaturated. Specializations increase your value:

• Machine Learning/AI: Growing area with higher demand
• GIS (Geographic Information Systems): Niche but valuable
• DevOps/Infrastructure: Fewer people, decent demand
• Data Engineering: More opportunities than general development
• Cybersecurity: Growing market

3. Target Specific Companies and Roles

• Tech giants: Google, Microsoft, Amazon have more structured junior programs
• International companies: Companies with English-speaking environments are more open to non-Polish speakers
• Fintech startups: More willing to hire juniors if you have relevant skills
• Avoid pure Polish companies: Especially if you don't speak Polish

4. Job Search Platforms

Use dedicated Polish IT job boards:

• justjoin.it: Largest Polish IT job site
• bulldogjob.pl: Specializes in tech jobs
• it.pracuj.pl: Polish general job site with IT section
• nofluffjobs.pl: Tech jobs with good filter options
• inhire.io: International tech platform with Polish jobs

5. Consider Your Visa Status

If you're a US graduate:

• You need visa sponsorship (expensive for employers)
• UK post-Brexit graduates have similar challenges
• EU citizens have a massive advantage—seriously consider dual citizenship if you're eligible

6. Realistic Timeline

If you do find a position:

• Expect 3-6 months of active job searching
• Possibly 2-4 months for visa processing if hired
• Start with salary expectations: 6,000-10,000 PLN gross for juniors (very low by Western standards)

Alternative Paths to Consider

Remote Work First

Get a remote job with a Western company before moving to Warsaw. This solves the visa problem and gives you a stable income. Many companies are open to remote workers.

Work for Your Current Country's Remote Companies

Keep your current job or find a remote position in your home country, then move to Warsaw. Your earning power will be much higher.

Freelancing/Contract Work

Build freelance clients on platforms like Upwork, Toptal, or Fiverr. This doesn't require visa sponsorship and can provide solid income in Warsaw.

Bootcamps or Internship Programs

Some companies offer structured internship programs that may be willing to sponsor visas for promising candidates, though these are rare.

The Honest Bottom Line

As a fresh CS graduate moving to Warsaw:

• EU citizen: Challenging but possible. You have a realistic chance if you're strategic.
• Non-EU citizen: Extremely difficult. Most companies won't sponsor juniors. Your best bet is remote work from home first, then relocating.
• Without portfolio/projects: Nearly impossible regardless of citizenship. Build your portfolio first.
• Non-Polish speaker: Reduced opportunities but not eliminated at English-focused companies.

What Actually Works

Based on what's working in 2025:

• Strong GitHub portfolio with real projects
• Specialization in high-demand areas (ML, data, DevOps)
• EU citizenship (or working remotely first)
• Networking and personal connections
• Willingness to start at lower salary for experience
• Basic Polish language skills

Resources and Job Boards

Check out these platforms regularly:

• justjoin.it
• bulldogjob.pl
• it.pracuj.pl
• nofluffjobs.pl
• inhire.io
• LinkedIn (popular in Poland)

Final Advice

Don't let this discourage you completely, but do be realistic. The Polish IT market is competitive, and being a junior with visa requirements makes it very difficult. Your best strategy is to either secure remote work from your home country first, build an exceptional portfolio, or seriously commit to learning Polish. If you do those things, opportunities exist. But don't expect it to be easy.