Introduction: A New Era of Transparency in the IT Job Market
June 7, 2026, marked the official EU deadline for the implementation of Directive (EU) 2023/970 of the European Parliament and of the Council, wider known as the pay transparency directive. Although the Polish legislator is implementing these regulations in stages (the first changes in recruitment came into force at the end of 2025, and the full national act, following public consultations in May 2026, is likely to take effect at the turn of 2026 and 2027), the direction of these changes is already irreversible. For the Polish IT industry, where earnings have for years been shrouded in secrecy or hidden behind the enigmatic phrase "salary commensurate with experience," a real earthquake is coming.
As the ITcompare job board aggregator, we constantly analyze recruitment trends. In this expert article, we will look at how the new EU pay transparency law will change recruitment processes, how it will impact popular B2B contracts, and how developers, administrators, and telco specialists can leverage these changes during rate negotiations.
1. No More Guesswork – A Revolution in IT Recruitment
The most visible change that candidates are already experiencing is the obligation to publish salary ranges. According to the new recruitment standards introduced in the first phase of changes, employers are required to inform candidates about the starting salary or its range. This information must be provided:
- directly in the job advertisement (which is becoming standard on portals and aggregators like ITcompare),
- or at the latest before the first job interview.
Crucially for candidates, recruiters have been strictly banned from asking about salary history. The question: "How much do you earn at your current employer?" is becoming a thing of the past. This is aimed at preventing the transfer of undervalued rates (the so-called inheritance of the gender pay gap) to new companies. From now on, negotiations must be based solely on the value of the position and the candidate's competencies, not on their current salary.
2. What About B2B Contracts? The Specifics of Polish IT Under the Directive's Microscope
The IT industry in Poland relies heavily on self-employment and B2B contracts. This raises a key question: does the pay transparency directive apply to B2B contractors?
Formally, EU regulations apply to "workers". However, under EU law and the rulings of the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU), this definition is much broader than the definition of an employee in the Polish Labor Code. It can cover self-employed individuals who de facto perform work personally, continuously, and under the direction of a single contractor (so-called disguised employment).
Furthermore, there is a strong synergy in the IT market with other legal changes:
- PIP Powers Reform: The National Labour Inspectorate (PIP) is seeking the power to establish an employment relationship via administrative decision, which will impact sham B2B contracts.
- Platform Work Directive: Introducing a presumption of employment (the implementation deadline in Poland is December 2026).
In practice, to avoid legal risks and standardize HR processes, most software houses and tech corporations are opting to apply transparency rules and publish salary ranges for both employment contracts and B2B agreements. Trying to hide B2B rates while keeping employment contract salaries public would quickly lead to a talent drain to competitors.
3. Internal Pay Transparency: Ending the Taboo in Development Teams
The directive brings not only changes in recruitment but, above all, a revolution inside organizations. The new regulations give employees powerful tools:
- Right to Information: Every employee has the right to request information regarding their individual salary level and the average earnings of employees performing the same work or work of equal value, broken down by gender.
- End of Confidentiality Clauses: Contractual provisions prohibiting employees from discussing their earnings become completely void. Employers cannot forbid developers from sharing rate information.
- Gender Pay Gap Reporting: Companies with more than 100 employees will be required to publicly report differences in pay between women and men (the gender pay gap). In the Polish IT sector, the adjusted pay gap is currently around 15% to the disadvantage of women, meaning HR departments face a lot of work to level the playing field.
4. Job Evaluation – How Will IT Define "Equal Work"?
To meet the directive's requirements, companies must implement objective job evaluation systems. This means that differences in earnings between, for example, two Senior Java Developers must stem from clear, substantive criteria, rather than the ability to "negotiate" a better rate during recruitment.
EU regulations point to four main criteria for assessing the value of work:
- Skills and Qualifications: Education, certifications, knowledge of technologies (e.g., cloud, cybersecurity), foreign language proficiency.
- Effort: Both physical and mental (e.g., working under time pressure, on-call shifts).
- Responsibility: Decision-making, project budget management, mentoring junior developers, impact on system architecture.
- Working Conditions: Shift work, business travel, hazardous factors.
For the IT sector, this means moving away from fluid promotions toward precise competency matrices (Career Paths / Matrix). Every employee must know exactly what skills they need to acquire to move to the next pay bracket.
5. How to Prepare for Rate Negotiations in the New Reality? A Candidate's Guide
The entry into force of the directive fundamentally changes the negotiating position of IT specialists. Here is how you can use the new regulations to your advantage:
A. Use Job Board Aggregators
Before you enter talks, conduct thorough research. Tools like ITcompare allow you to instantly compare offers from different job boards in one place. This gives you a realistic overview of the salary ranges companies offer for your tech profile and experience level.
B. Focus on Substantive Arguments
Since the recruiter cannot ask about your previous earnings, all attention focuses on your skills. Prepare a portfolio, describe completed projects in terms of business benefits, and refer directly to the requirements in the advertisement. Your rate should reflect the value you bring to the organization.
C. Ask About the Salary Structure and Career Path
During a job interview, you have every right to ask how the company evaluates a given position. Ask: "Based on what criteria is the salary within this range determined?" and "What conditions do I need to meet to be promoted and reach the upper limit of the pay bracket?". Serious IT companies prepared for the new regulations will have no trouble presenting a clear development path.
Summary: Partnership Instead of a Game of Pretend
The pay transparency directive is a milestone toward professionalizing the labor market in Poland. While for employers it brings a massive organizational challenge and the need to rebuild pay structures, for IT candidates it marks the end of the era of information asymmetry.
Thanks to rate transparency, recruitment processes will become faster, more efficient, and based on mutual respect. When looking for your next professional challenge in the world of IT & Telecoms, remember to use modern tools – on ITcompare you will find transparent job offers that will allow you to consciously and safely plan your next career step.