Europe is raising wages and benefits to attract workers and bolster economic growth, with recent moves in Poland and Lithuania leading the push.
In Poland, new statutory minimum wages for healthcare workers took effect on July 1, 2026, with specialized doctors now guaranteed a minimum of 12,910.16 zł brutto monthly, up 1,046.67 zł from previous rates. Other medical professionals, including pharmacists, lab diagnosticians, and nurses with master’s degrees and specializations, saw their minimums rise to 11,485.59 zł, while entry-level doctors and non-specialized staff received smaller but significant increases .
Lithuania is also incentivizing labor market participation by offering financial support to returning emigrants. The government proposed payments of €2,000 for childless couples, €4,000 for families with one child, and €5,000 for those with two or more, alongside integration allowances of up to €1,000 for language courses or childcare. Over 19,000 Lithuanians returned in 2025 alone, with urban centers like Vilnius and Kaunas seeing the highest inflows .
Meanwhile, Germany’s coalition government approved reforms to its long-term care insurance system, increasing contributions through higher surcharges rather than a broad-based rate hike. The changes, set to take effect in January, will require employers and employees to share additional costs while some benefits are trimmed to address a projected €7.6 billion shortfall in 2027 .
