Name : Joan-Michelle Tan

Class : 12 B
Topic : International migration

LOCATION : UK: Polish Migrant Workers

In 2004, Poland and seven other former Eastern European countries gained entry into the EU.
The UK government at the time predicted an estimation of 15000 migrants from the countries
moving to the UK for employment. This turned out to be a gross underestimate. By July
2006, 447000 people from Eastern Europe had applied to work in the UK. 62% (264555)
came from Poland. An addition of 105000 moved between July and December 2006, making
a total of 370000 Polish migrant workers since April 2004. This would mean that Poles were
now the third-largest minority ethnic group in the UK; after the Pakistanis and Indians.

PUSH AND PULL FACTORS

Most came to find better-paid jobs, when they arrived; the average wage in UK was several
times higher than in Poland. To some the idea was to work hard, earn as much money as they
could and then return home; hopefully with the finance needed to set up their own business.
To others it was a case of earning sufficient money to live on themselves and to send the
remainder back to Poland to help their families there improve their standard of living. The
mority of immigrants were men; of whom over 80 % were aged between 18 to 34 years old.
Other push factors were poverty, political oppression, cholera epidemics, communism,
religious persecution, food shortages, and World War II later on. In the time from 1820 to
1920 about one thousand people immigrated. People were pulled to the UK because in the
UK they had better job opportunities, religious freedom, freedom to own land, freedom of
speech, a better government, and to be reunited with others. Large waves of immigration

came after the Civil War because labour was high in demand. Those are a few of the main
reasons for immigration.
Some races in Poland were not allowed to own land or hold certain jobs. For example, the
Jews were not allowed to have many jobs. In the UK though, they were allowed to have most
or all jobs in the country. Also in the UK, a person could practice any religion freely without
government harassment. During World War II, the Nazis murdered about 90% of the Polish
Jews and hundreds of Poles. The Soviets also killed a large number of Poles or sent them to
concentration camps. Poles would be punished if they spoke against the government. These
reasons combined with the better life style in the UK pushed many people to move to the UK.
The UK was one of the only three countries other than Ireland and Sweden who didnt put a
limit on the number of migrants from A8 countries who could enter the country. English was
spoken as the second language in Poland so there was no language barrier to overcome.
Migration to the UK was easy due to cheap flights and coach services.

MIGRATION OBSTACLES
Compared to the other case studies there are not many obstacles that had to be overcome.
Language was not an issue, entry to the country was not an issue and budget airlines were
able to offer relatively cheap transport to the UK.
EFFECTS OF MIGRATION
It has been estimated that Eastern European immigrants have contributed 2.5billion to the
UKs economy and roughly 1% of the UKs growth in 2006 was attributed to the same
workers. British businesses have been able to cash in on the new market created by the
presense of the young, single Poles who seem keen to join the consumer culture common in
the UK. Polish shops and businesses have helped to start and rejuvenate the seriously
declining shopping streets of the UK and also swell the size of church congregations. The
migrants, 80% of which are aged between 18 and 34, have helped the UK cope with the
problems being provoked by the ageing population by filling the gaps in the UKs labour
market and have also helped to fill the skills gap created by the brain drain. However,
additional stress has been placed on the education and health care systems and demand for
housing has further driven renting/buying prices higher. Also much of the money earnt is not
staying in the UK as it is being sent back to Poland. In Poland, itself, this migration of young
workers to the UK has helped to reduce the unemployment problems but has been blamed for
increased divorce rates.