WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland has scrapped its personal income tax for young employees in a drive to reverse a brain drain and demographic decline that's dimming the prospects of a country that is otherwise experiencing strong economic growth.

The new law by the right-wing government, which took effect Thursday, slashes the personal income tax to zero for workers under the age of 26 earning less than $22,000 a year. It is expected to boost the earnings of nearly 2 million Poles at home, and the government hopes it will also persuade young Poles working abroad to return home.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki recently said he hoped it would prevent what he called a painful "bleeding" of the younger generation from the nation.