Poland is set to SCRAP income tax for people under 26 in a bid to stem its flow of young people across the EU

  • Poland approved a bill on Friday which could benefit two million people
  • The exemption would be for those under 26 earning less than £18,000 per year
  • Average salaries in Poland are low, making many emigrate to other EU states 

By RYAN FAHEY FOR MAILONLINE and AFP

PUBLISHED: 11:16 EDT, 5 July 2019

Poland has scrapped income tax for workers under the age of 26 as the country tries to stop young people going abroad to find work.

Parliament approved the measure in a vote late Thursday by an overwhelming majority.

The bill would liberate those under the age of 26 from Poland’s 18 per cent personal income tax if their gross earnings are under 85,500 zlotys (£18,000) per year.

Poland's promise to cut income tax for those under 26 comes as the country faces the issue of their young people's mass migration to other EU states. Since Poland became a member of the European Union, it's thought that around 2 million people, mostly between the ages of 20 and 30, have emigrated to countries like the UK, Ireland and France (File photo)

 Poland’s promise to cut income tax for those under 26 comes as the country faces the issue of their young people’s mass migration to other EU states. Since Poland became a member of the European Union, it’s thought that around 2 million people, mostly between the ages of 20 and 30, have emigrated to countries like the UK, Ireland and France (File photo)

That level is higher than Poland’s average income, estimated to be around 60,000 zlotys (£12,500) per year before tax.

The approval by parliament and its signature by the president is widely expected.

Some two million people could benefit, according to supporters of the legislation.

Poland has long been losing skilled workers to other EU states where they can find better paying jobs.

Poland's ruling Law and Justice party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, pictured here at the party headquarters, offered the tax breaks as part of his campaign (File photo)

Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, pictured here at the party headquarters, offered the tax breaks as part of his campaign (File photo)

This poses risks to the country’s long-term demographics  and the short-term issue of finding enough labourers to aid the country’s streak of economic growth since the fall of communism in 1989.

The measure was one of the campaign promises made by the ruling Law and Justice party ahead of the European parliamentary elections in May, which it won, and legislative elections scheduled for later this year.

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