











































Global Partners in Education Journal – Special Edition  December 2015, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 10-23 
 http://www.gpejournal.org/   ISSN 2163-758X 
 

10 
 

 
Effects of Polish Migration throughout the European Union  

Since 2004 
 

Anna Maria Hejnar 
 

Krosno State College, Poland 
 

Abstract 
 

Polish Immigration has consistently been in the headlines in recent years 
as a result from joining the European Union in 2004. The Opened Borders 
are seen as a new hope for a better life. Migration to EU countries has 
become a choice for some and a financial requirement for others. As a 
result, with over 2 million Polish workers live abroad and there is a need for 
examining responsible migration in Poland.  The aim of this paper is to 
discuss the current impact of migration on Poland through my experience 
as a recent migrant-returnee. The main focus will evolve around reasons 
for an intellectual ‘brain drain’, industrial skill shortages, and specialized 
professionals in the healthcare and education sectors that directly concerns 
the development of Polish society. The Polish government’s policies are a 
main problem that appears to be flawed as they do not attempt to raise 
social standards of living which consequently only encourage further 
migration. The paper will argue that the current Polish government has 
undertaken very limited actions to stabilize the welfare and security of its 
citizens and discourage migration to EU countries. As a result, the impact 
on the future of Poland –education and the healthcare system; economic 
productivity; and the ability to fund services through locally raised taxation 
– is seriously challenged. The conclusion points to the need for change and 
an alternative approach by encouraging the skilled and educated to remain 
in Poland and work towards Poland’s development. 

 
After Poland joined the European Union (EU) in 2004, there has been a 
large explosion of emigration from Poland to other EU nations. This 
migration is marked as the first Polish generation who are legally entitled to 
be mobile and is often spoken of in rapturous terms of new freedoms 
(Sobczyk, 2010). According to estimates by Poland’s statistical office, 1.87 
million Polish citizens resided outside their home country in 2009, most in 
other EU states. Britain, Germany and Ireland are among the top three most 
popular destinations for Polish migrants. Out of that number, three-quarters 
(1.4 million) had lived abroad for more than 12 months and should 
statistically be included in the population of their host country rather than 
that of Poland whose population is estimated at 38.2 million (Sobczyk, 
2010). This is causing a demographic change in Poland that is having an 

http://www.gpejournal.org/


Global Partners in Education Journal – Special Edition  December 2015, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 10-23 
 http://www.gpejournal.org/   ISSN 2163-758X 
 

11 
 

impact on many areas of society. The purpose of this paper is to explain 
and illustrate the issues of emigration to other EU nations that are now being 
felt in Poland. 

Life as a Polish Immigrant in the United Kingdom (2005-2014) 
 

This report has been strongly influenced by my own experience with working outside of 
Poland since September 2005. I decided to move to the U.K. for work and study when I 
was barely 21 years old. The main reason was lack of opportunity and prospects for young 
people in Poland. Although education in Poland is free, I could not afford to study outside 
my home town due to the living expenses. My sister was already working in the U.K. and 
living in Milton Keynes which is a large town situated in Buckinghamshire about 45 miles 
northwest of London. I was determined to improve my own situation so I packed my bags 
and left my country to join her. My parents supported my decision however the departure 
day was very emotional.  
 
I settled in almost instantly and found a job within two weeks. I started off as a warehouse 
operative like most of polish migrants but unlike many, I refused the first job I was offered 
because I did not want to put up with the working conditions. It was a place where the 
work was 24/7 and people worked in silence labelling clothes. Shifts were a minimum of 
12 hours and there was even a washing machine to wash your clothes during your day. I 
suspect that some people there were doing more hours than they claimed to work. After 
2 days, I refused to carry on and called the employment agency who called me back 
shortly with another job.  
 
This time, I ended up in a high maintenance, private book company in Milton Keynes, just 
a short bus drive from the town centre. I was appointed as a production/distribution 
assistant and one of my tasks consisted of proofreading. I got to read a lot and managed 
to break the language barrier quite fast because, at that time, I was the only Polish person 
in the warehouse and communication was essential for the job. I had studied English for 
many years before and I thought that I knew the language well but hearing it spoken at 
different volumes, speeds, dialects and accents completely changed my idea of language 
acquisition. Despite the difficult start, it was all part of a very valuable process. In life I 
often follow my heart so I usually know when the time is right, so after one and half years 
I needed to move away from my comfort zone to pursue the unknown and learn new 
things. I handed in my notice and began to look for another opportunity for development. 
My boss, Dave Stewart (Distribution manager), was very understanding and he wrote in 
his reference: “....Anna is available for new challenges only because of her desire to learn 
and grow further...We would have loved to see her stay, but certainly understand her 
need to advance beyond the positions we have available” and he rewarded my work with 
my first ever work references letter. The letter is quite long and I keep it together with my 
achievements and certificates.  
 
I soon started another job in warehouse but this time it was an even more physical post. 
However, I soon got promoted to a different department and no longer had to worry about 
heavy loads. Another year passed by and at the beginning of 2009, I got my first 

http://www.gpejournal.org/


Global Partners in Education Journal – Special Edition  December 2015, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 10-23 
 http://www.gpejournal.org/   ISSN 2163-758X 
 

12 
 

redundancy letter. Instead of crying, I thought to myself, just in time, as I was thinking of 
another challenge that would help me to develop my skills.  
 
I had made some friends by then and one of them advised me that the company she 
worked for had a vacancy for an administrative assistant, so I applied and attended the 
interview. I got the job and I had to learn some new skills. I even learned how to operate 
a forklift truck because it was a logistic company. This was not a dream job for a girl but 
it didn’t discourage me.  On the contrary, this position turned out to be a blessing in 
disguise and enabled me to complete a Business and Administration NVQ on level 2 as 
it was supported by my employer. By then, I was already on a full-time, permanent 
contract. I enjoyed being busy and I was never bored at work, no matter how mundane it 
was. The tasks were exactly the same each day: stock check, picking, packing, data input, 
phone calls but I was simply making the best of it out the present situation and I always 
asked for more training. Then the recession hit again in 2010 and I received another 
redundancy letter. I thought, “Nice try! So now what?” 
 
Then I found myself behind a closed door. Not for long though, as I began to look for the 
open widows. So, I attended the local college and did some additional qualifications, one 
of which was ESOL, and I got involved with volunteering. I did not waste time there either. 
I worked in a local theatre, Citizen Advice Bureau and vented my artistic ambitions in a 
local charity foundation as a leaflet designer and a photographer at the various, local 
festivals. My biggest volunteering milestone was becoming a Game Maker at the London 
Olympics in 2012. I managed two jobs. I was a First Aider at the Horse Guard Parade 
and the Closing Ceremonies Performer at the Olympic Stadium.  
 
After about 4 months, I found an advertisement in a local newspaper for my dream job so 
I made a call and requested an application pack. I was prepared for this as I took up a 
summer course in PTLLS (i.e., teacher training) so that I was prepared when I attended 
the interview. In December 2010, I was appointed at the Milton Keynes Academy, a 
secondary school as a Teacher Assistant, but my title was Achievement Coach and it 
described exactly what I wanted to do. Every day was different and I faced many 
challenges. The training was ongoing and there was always something new to learn. 
However, there was this one thing that still held me back – I was lacking a degree. I felt 
the urge of following my dreams again and at the beginning of 2014, I decided to become 
a teacher. I resigned so that I could return and study back in Poland and in my home 
town. I found a brand new college offering a teaching degree and I started my studies 
there full-time in November of 2014. I am now majoring in English Philology and planning 
on graduating in 2016. 
 

Recent Polish Migrations 
 
My research suggests that in 2004, Germany was the lead destination country for 
migration from Poland. Today, the UK seems to be the main destination country although 
Germany is still an attractive location due to the geographical aspect. Seasonal migration 
from Poland is referred to as “incomplete migration” by Kepińska (2004) and Okólski 
(2001). They point out that “migrants increasingly focus on one particular aim: namely 

http://www.gpejournal.org/


Global Partners in Education Journal – Special Edition  December 2015, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 10-23 
 http://www.gpejournal.org/   ISSN 2163-758X 
 

13 
 

earning money in the host country and spending it in the home country” and characterizes 
“mobility of this kind [as] a split living set-up, with economic activity pursued largely in the 
host country and family life taking place predominantly in the home country” (p. 105, p. 
109). 
 
In 2013, it was reported in a German newspaper called Passauer Neue Presse that “1.23 
million immigrants had settled in Germany, which is the highest in 20 years”. The Deputy 
Bureau Chief of Central and Eastern Europe, Marcin Sobczyk, who coordinates Polish 
News coverage in Warsaw wrote an article in The Wall Street Journal: “Poland Loses 1.4 
million people to brain drain” and underlines that “Germany and Austria have opened their 
markets to Poles in May 2011, but already before Poland joined the EU in 2004 the group 
of Polish migrants there was estimated at almost 300,000, and grew to 415,000 in 2009 
(Sobczyk, 2010).” The number of immigrants had increased from 1.08 million in 2012 to 
1.23 million in 2013 which means that migration on the whole was far from slowing down 
and if current trends continue, it is bound to increase in the near future. 
 
Apart from the economic reasons for migration, there are other non-economic motivations 
that are considered increasingly controversial. With young people being identified as the 
most significant demographic component of this new migration, the aspiration of youth 
has been closely considered. For many experts, much of this migration starts as 
something similar to a “gap year” travel this happens when students decide to take a year 
out of university to travel abroad to earn money or just to experience different country. 
These younger, often highly skilled migrants can be termed ‘searchers’, who are 
interested in pursuing new experiences as much as new skills for the need of 
employment. On the other hand we have people who just like “storks”, continually return 
back to a country to spend money and finally we have “hamsters” who work only to be 
able to go back to their home country with some savings. The “stayers” are those who 
settle down and integrate within a new society who in most cases, are young people and 
families.  
 
From my own experience since 2005, it has been clear that for many years that this 
situation is reflected in many English cities and towns where you can easily find a Polish 
corner shop, Polish restaurants, or clubs with Polish music. The demand for Polish 
services such as medical specialists, especially dentists, gynaecologists, and 
hairdressers has been very high in recent years, in addition to the Polish music industry 
where artists are booking gigs, especially in the bigger cities such London. This of course 
could become a nuance to an Englishman, whenever they see yet another opening a 
Polish Delicatessens or another concert purely organised for a Polish audience. 
 

Factors Contributing to Modern Emigration from Poland 
 
In the book Opening and Closing Borders: Migration and Mobility in East-Central Europe 
by Wallace (2002), the author discusses the diverse range of Polish migrants with equally 
varying intentions. Frequently, the young migrants openly stress that the fault lies in the 
unsupportive political system that simply isn’t working in favour of its citizens. By the same 
token, this can be seen in Poland as well.  Last year’s Polish Senate elections have 

http://www.gpejournal.org/


Global Partners in Education Journal – Special Edition  December 2015, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 10-23 
 http://www.gpejournal.org/   ISSN 2163-758X 
 

14 
 

illustrated this point clearly, with none of the reformers reflecting youth ideology were 
elected. When such a situation is added to the general mood of people, a lack of trust 
and disillusionment in Polish democracy develops. This could be clearly seen around this 
year’s early May election too. As it was confirmed in The Polish Newsweek on May 26th, 
2015: “During the first round of presidential elections in Poznan, Bronislaw Komorowski 
(left-wing) won 49.54% of the votes (PKW: Andrzej Duda prezydentem. Kandydat PiS 
zdobył 51,55 proc., Bronisław Komorowski 48,45 proc. Głosów, 2015). The opponent was 
Duda (right-wing) who had the support of only 22.09% of votes. In third place, with the 
support of 17.78% of votes, was Paul Kukiz who was an alternative candidate (i.e., former 
rock musician) who for many young people was the only option. The turnout was 
55.3%...Andrzej Duda won the second round of elections with 51.55% - announced on 
Monday PKW giving the official results of the vote. His competitor and a former president 
Bronislaw Komorowski was supported by 48.45% of votes and the turnout amounted to 
55.34%. So, as we can see, the problem lingers. “The election results show that Poland 
is still divided half and half...Unfortunately, this division continues “– as Sawicki – one of 
the politicians admits at a press conference in Lublin. I read about the statistics and data 
found on this very website: “In the first round of presidential elections turnout was only 
48.96 percent. This is the lowest score in the history of presidential elections after 1989” 
but this does not surprise me at all. Then I see this comment down below the article: A 
person named Fractis says: “Does it matter who will be the president? This puppet 
function together with the Senate should be closed down. As 95% of Poles do not know 
who is president of Germany just as no one really cares who it is in Poland. The real 
power holds a prime minister here ... allegorically we really choose between the 
Christmas and Easter…so let us rejoice because everyone is right.” 
 
As it’s consistently highlighted, the daily course of affairs in politics is progressively 
disapproved by the whole society nationwide, but in my personal view, especially by the 
younger ones. In addition, most people find the taxing system outrageous and obsolete, 
where “Income tax is progressive — the more you earn, the higher rate you pay. In 2013, 
the tax rates for individuals in Poland were 18% (for those earning less than 85kPLN p/a) 
and 32% (for those earning more than 85k PLN p/a) and the situation hasn’t improved as 
yet. Imagine running a company in Poland where ZUS (social contributions) fees aspect 
is another worry added to your plate. ZUS is connected with taxes that go towards social 
insurance, pensions, retirement allowances and other social services. The thing is that 
you have to sort it out for yourself, so when a person is employed or runs their own 
business, they are responsible for working out ever changing fees that they owe. 
Everyone needs to pay the right amounts of contributions at the right time, although this 
is a job for an accountant because it requires a lot of time and specific knowledge. In case 
of a missed deadline, even an ordinary worker could face another fee to pay to ZUS. To 
be honest, this could be easily a topic for another article. 
 
Furthermore, the lack of adequate infrastructure facilities to support a family is daunting 
and poses a real concern to citizens of Poland. The national Health Fund seems to be 
constantly lacking funds for basic things and I am convinced this organization is a serious 
risk for a patient. You cannot get anything done correctly and on time unless you pay for 
it, as this has been my recent experience. There are always long queues to see a GP, 

http://www.gpejournal.org/


Global Partners in Education Journal – Special Edition  December 2015, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 10-23 
 http://www.gpejournal.org/   ISSN 2163-758X 
 

15 
 

and if your case is urgent, “make a complaint to the Health Minister” as what I was advised 
at the doctor’s office recently. For young people, there is a growing sense of insecurity 
and they are getting more anxious about making a living on a daily basis. Moreover, they 
are faced with the rather insensitive if not cruel attitude of their employers. For example, 
a common popular stereotype of employers among youth includes the attitude of “Don’t 
like it? Try your luck somewhere else!”  
 
Another issue is gender discrimination not only when it comes to salaries but also through 
general treatment. I have first-hand information both from being recently interviewed for 
a job in Poland and from talking with family members. For example, during the interview 
stage for a job, women often get interrogated about their future plans concerning starting 
a family and they often face the most personal questions (e.g., about the profession of 
their husband) as my sister-in-law experienced. Women in Poland still earn less than men 
and seem seriously disadvantaged in their working life on the whole. I found a recent, 
very interesting study, online article on www.wynagrodzenia.pl which is the largest Polish 
internet portal dedicated entirely to compensation issues. This report below confirms my 
statement.  The differences in pay between women and men in 2013 stand as follows: 
“The average monthly salary of men in 2013 stood at 4500PLN. Women earned about 
900PLN less. One in four of them earned less than 2 500 PLN. Salaries 25% of men 
amounted to more than 7500 PLN (Wynagrodznia kobiet I mezcsysn w 2013 roku, 2013).”  
It continues: “As every year we remind you that in our study is dominated by young people 
(61% have no more than 35 years), with higher education (72.2% operating in cities of 
over 200,000 inhabitants (65.2%). In addition, our respondents are at least specialized 
positions (73.4%), which makes their salaries are higher than most Poles.” This is despite 
laws enshrining the rights of women in employment. However, the legal process is so 
slow that many employers ignore the law and believe there will be a constant supply of 
willing workers if needed. And people are living in a constant fear and almost never decide 
to stand up for themselves.  
 

The Results of Polish Emigration Since 2004 
 
Nowadays, there are noticeably more Poles who are publically venting their frustration 
about the hopelessness of the situation in Poland, especially in the smaller towns or 
villages where originally this could be heard very often. Using data conducted from verbal 
interviews, Internet discussion boards, and my own experience, a vital arena for Polish 
migration focus is on one key post-socialist discourse in particular which is for the desire 
for ‘normality’. A normal life, one could perceive, is when people no longer have to be 
scared of losing a poorly paid job and worry to make ends meet each month. Normality 
is when people can afford to freely take a holiday and rest properly from time to time, 
without worrying that if they go, they might lose the job. Polish reality proves to work on 
different terms. People are working hard, usually in fear of losing their job and the money 
they earn can barely sustain the basic needs. Holidays are when “one gets during one’s 
sleeping time” a bus driver said to me who has been driving for 35 years “and that if you 
are lucky, that is” – he added. Although it probably does not happen in the cities such 
Warsaw or Cracow, it is visible in areas of South-East Poland where I live at the moment. 

http://www.gpejournal.org/
http://www.wynagrodzenia.pl/


Global Partners in Education Journal – Special Edition  December 2015, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 10-23 
 http://www.gpejournal.org/   ISSN 2163-758X 
 

16 
 

I have been talking to local bus drivers and farmers, including those in my family. People 
here need to keep a careful eye to nearly everything that grows and lives on the ground.  
 
I went to a work experience from the College recently and after I finished teaching during 
my visit to one of the public schools, I asked everyone in the class to write a question for 
me concerning the lecture I just gave. I received anonymous questions on a slip of paper 
from 14 year olds. They all tried so hard to write their questions in English but what was 
surprising was that those questions were asking about purpose in life and the point of 
going to school etc. All of this discontentment is apparent in a number of Polish citizens 
and especially the young ones. Migrants are voicing out their hopes and frustrations as 
they justify their decision to leave Poland and move to the UK, searching for a ‘normal 
life’ and I was not different when I decided to leave.  
 
In addition, if migrants will take the risk of returning to their home country then they would 
have to face an even bigger risk of working for the Polish minimum wage if they are lucky 
enough to find a job in the first place. At 1400zł per month in the South-East region for an 
established post (i.e., not an entry level job which are mainly available for students), it is 
difficult to justify the change in living standards especially in the light of a weekly British 
allowance of around 180-200 pounds (c. 1200zł). Where I live in Poland, 1200PLN-
1400PLN is an average monthly salary. If you are a student, the rent in a small town such 
Krosno where I go to College will cost you around 300-400zł for a shared accommodation 
not including additional living expenses. Food is expensive and public transport is even 
more costly.  
 
What can be seen as more ridiculous is the fact that if Polish migrants prolong their stay 
abroad it subsequently diminishes their chances for employment back home. This is 
exactly what happened to me. I have been unemployed since I returned to Poland in 
October of 2014. The situation looks even worse for the older migrants. For instance, this 
means that when returnees approach forty years old, their chances to return to any type 
of employment in Poland is literally next to none due to age discrimination. Another issue 
is not having enough “Polish” experience and foreign qualifications that aren’t properly 
recognised here in Poland. Through personal experience and interviews I learned that 
where I live in the village of Haczów, is widely considered to be the poorest region in the 
country with an average rate of 14% of unemployment in 2014. 

Another great issue widely discussed nowadays is the retirement age in Poland. I will 
quote from the polish law website www.infor.pl: “Starting in 2013, the retirement age is 
gradually increased (Retirement age in Poland, 2014). Apparently this is for the reason 
of equality for both sexes. According to the assumptions the retirement age for men and 
women will be changed to 67 years. The objective will be achieved for women in 2040 
and for men in 2020. Mandatory retirement age in Poland as well as in Norway is the 
highest in the world.” As for today, the newly elected President is promising to lower the 
retirement age in Poland, but for this we will have to wait until next year.  

Thanks to social media there is a visible increase of consciousness about living abroad. 
In a recent documentary that became viral on YouTube.com: “The place where life is 

http://www.gpejournal.org/
http://www.infor.pl/


Global Partners in Education Journal – Special Edition  December 2015, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 10-23 
 http://www.gpejournal.org/   ISSN 2163-758X 
 

17 
 

possible” by Magdalena Piejko, migrants confirm all the above issues. I have created a 
fan page on Facebook called “Jedną nogą w Polsce” (One foot stuck in Poland) where I 
try to discuss all of the burning issues with other Poles. My aim is to integrate all Poles so 
that we can brainstorm ideas that will help people to live better lives and that I hope will 
revolutionise this country. Low budget documentaries raising awareness and 
independent films with English subtitles on living abroad are being released more 
frequently online but also broadcasted in the cities and towns in the U.K. These films can 
be easily found on YouTube and other websites. These often show many of the true sides 
of migration, such as the attitude of the UK population and difficulties in finding work, as 
well as the positive aspects of living abroad. However, some “stayers” who have already 
accommodated themselves are often less keen to admit to any mistreatment or abuse 
that they may have encountered in social settings or at work. This could be a direct result 
of the decisions that the “stayers” have had made about making a living outside their 
home country. The likelihood that the seasonal workers, so called “storks”, would speak 
out significantly more about the reality of living abroad is much higher.   

I have read on BBC.com about some statistics concerning the most lingering dispute of 
recent times on immigrants and their contributions or benefit taking. According to a study 
by University College London (UCL), immigrants from the so-called New Europe (i.e., the 
countries that joined the EU in 2004 or the Accession Ten/A10 which include Cyprus, the 
Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and 
Slovenia) contributed nearly £5bn more in taxes than they took in benefits (New EU 
migrants add £5bn to UK, 2014). The report also confirmed that EU immigrants are better 
educated than the UK population at large: 60% from southern and western Europe and 
25% of those from Eastern Europe have university degrees. This compares with 24% of 
the UK-born workforce. Moreover, Prof Christian Dustmann, co-author of the study, said: 
EU migrants, in particular, made "the most substantial contributions" because of their 
"higher average labour market participation compared with natives and their lower receipt 
of welfare benefits." I often heard about stories of many undocumented Polish workers, 
men and women labouring for twelve to fourteen hours a day in conditions no native 
worker would take under consideration. Hence, such attitudes also play an important part 
of the “hamsters” plan as those types of migrants, want to earn as much as possible and 
save on living costs so that they can take more savings back home.  

From my observations, on a very rare occasion, Polish migrants would genuinely open 
up to voice issues such discrimination, lost identity, broken relationships or any other 
disadvantages that are associated with living abroad. Typically, the image they wish to 
present is of a harmonious and successful experience. This is due to the polish mentality 
which is a type of pride about that crucial decision of leaving their home country, their 
friends, families, so therefore they can’t afford to complain because they now feel 
successful even if it meant more hardship than which they are accustomed to. This is of 
the highest importance because they feel a need to save their face or honour when it 
comes to the male migrants. Polish people do not like see themselves as losers but doers, 
go-getters. Since our government is not very generous you really need to learn how to 
get what you need. 

http://www.gpejournal.org/


Global Partners in Education Journal – Special Edition  December 2015, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 10-23 
 http://www.gpejournal.org/   ISSN 2163-758X 
 

18 
 

One of the main Polish national characteristics that could be easily noticed among migrant 
people is honour and pride especially when it comes to managing their own living 
standard and financial situation. In Poland, there is a very popular saying that many 
people still live by: “Get a mortgage if you have to, to look better in front of your neighbour”. 
People here are careful not to lose a face. They still worry what their neighbour would 
think of them. By the same token, Polish people often chose not to take benefits and 
prefer to suffer poverty because they perceive it as an ultimate weakness. Some people 
view this idea of taking support offered by the Polish government as a charity. That is why 
they prefer to go abroad and earn money the “hard way” if that would help to save their 
honour. This attitude could be a form of manifestation towards the very little efforts that 
the Polish government is actually putting in to bettering Polish citizen’s situation.  
 
In addition, from my observations, many Polish workers in Poland have a very limited 
trust for anything that seems a little risky or comes from outside their comfort zone. Most 
of the time, they fear losing their jobs so they hold onto their jobs carefully and do not 
allow themselves to stick out. In this light, we may speculate why so many migrants are 
stuck on minimum wage jobs abroad and why Poland, as a nation, is making such small-
scale progress in comparison to other EU countries. Overall, a clearer explanation of 
migrant attitudes is that mentality that you better earn lots of money and fast while you 
can because you might not be so lucky next time around. This attitude is definitely one of 
the “hamster” characteristics when it comes to making a living and it definitely does not 
do anyone any favours. 
 
What is also worth mentioning is that the Polish government seems to be turning a blind 
eye to the surrounding issues instead of acting on them.  It has been quietly consenting 
to all the mixed messages in regards to working abroad that mass media have been 
supporting all of those years. There is a regular circulation of newspapers and 
advertisements that are ostentatiously displayed here and there which all seem so 
attractive that they almost make you obliged to reconsider your life in Poland (Figure 1). 
Furthermore, there are a number of recruiting agencies found online as well as in the Job 
Seekers Offices in Poland which encourage and support Polish people including students 
with offers of seasonal work or employment abroad. Likewise, such opportunities can be 
found online on any local websites, (e.g., on a local town’s website, there is plenty of work 
in Holland, Spain and Great Britain at www.krosno24.pl. In addition to this, the 
accessibility of the western job market is consistently highlighted to the public and also 
nationally consented to by government. I’ve recently purchased a hard copy of “Work and 
study abroad”, a Polish newspaper, and I honestly think such an example of convocation 
is a perfect example highlighting the above and it has also been legally up and running 
since 2003. 
 

http://www.gpejournal.org/
http://www.krosno24.pl/


Global Partners in Education Journal – Special Edition  December 2015, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 10-23 
 http://www.gpejournal.org/   ISSN 2163-758X 
 

19 
 

Figure 1. Example of advertisement for work abroad. 
 
 
On the whole, the current Polish situation is strongly incubating the perfect environment 
for a ‘brain drain'. As a result, for instance, interest in working abroad “has risen among 
the medical profession in recent times” reports Londynek.net (Biznesu & Monika, 2015). 
Indeed, it is worrisome. The United Kingdom is often mentioned in this matter and has 
been accused of actively hiring medical staff from developing countries such Poland: 
“According to the Polish Chamber of Physicians, more than 9 thousand specialists have 
the formal competence to work legally in the EU. Recent statistics show that the number 
of certificates issued to doctors applying for recognition in other EU countries has 
increased to 25%” (Biznesu & Monika, 2015). Among physicians applying for certification, 
the highest percentage includes anaesthesiologists, internists, surgeons and general 
radiologists and their country of choice is the United Kingdom.”  The article underlines 
further: “It seems that working abroad, even short-term, is an investment in their career 
for medical professionals. Higher foreign wages, allow the professionals to return and 
have a chance to pursue career plans in Poland (e.g., open their own office). In addition, 
gaining additional qualifications, learning new techniques and familiarizing with advanced 
specialized equipment allows for career advancement on return.” 
 
There is yet another issue. Poland is also facing the loss of young graduates and 
specialists who are more eager to look for opportunities somewhere else. Consequently, 
Poland is under a serious threat of a big hole in its demography by having young people 
start their own families abroad. This will soon have its consequences on a bigger scale. 
Cuts in the public sector already pose a problem as well as school closures plus 
redundancies for the teachers.   
 
The results displayed below are based on empirical material collected in 2011 and 2012. 
The empirical material gathered by university students and volunteers and described in 
the book by R. Bera (2012) “A sense of professional responsibility of economic migrants” that 
I have studied since I could not run my own research at the time. The main criterion that 
seeks to preserve the selection of the sample is the country of residence of economic 
migrants, which is the largest group of Poles in the European Union after the Polish 

http://www.gpejournal.org/


Global Partners in Education Journal – Special Edition  December 2015, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 10-23 
 http://www.gpejournal.org/   ISSN 2163-758X 
 

20 
 

accession to the EU. Therefore the study selected the United Kingdom, Sweden and 
Germany. As far as the data in Table 1 shows, both among immigrants (primary group) 
and those who are working in the country (comparison group), most workers are between 
the age of 21-30. This indicates that the migrants are young workers who are the most 
economically desired and often at the point of starting their careers. The 30-40 year old 
group are also a common percentage with every fourth migrant employed abroad and 
every ninth person employed in the country (11.4%). Relatively few workers are between 
the ages of 40-50 years and above 50 years old there are only 6 people in the comparison 
group indicating that immigration is a young person’s activity. 
 
Table 1. Age of respondents 
 
Age 
 

Immigrants (primary) Workers in the country 
(comparison) 

Frequency % Frequency % 
>20 12 3.5 12 3.3 
21-30 216 63.7 285 77.2 
31-40 93 27.7 42 11.4 
41-50 18 5.3 24 6.5 
<50 - - 6 1.6 
Total 339 100.0 369 100.0 

 
 
Looking at the level of education of Polish migrants we can see that (Table 2) among 
Polish migrants working abroad (Primary group) higher education clearly dominates. The 
score is over 25% compared to those 5% in the country. However, in the ‘comparison 
group’ most respondents hold a secondary education level (48.8 %). The lowest level of 
education has every eighth person while working abroad and only a few employees in the 
country supporting the evidence of a brain drain. 
 
In the article “Poland Struggles to Reverse Its Brain Drain” (Davies, 2011), it is reported 
that a recruitment agency, AER International based in London, was set up to help an 
expected flood of professional migrants return to Poland and other Eastern European 
countries with booming economies. To encourage people to return, in 2008, the Polish 
government launched a campaign targeted at Poles working abroad: “Have you got a 
PLan to return?” (Davies, 2011). The message said: "The Polish government would be 
very glad to have returnees, but it's too late. The 'Have you got a PLan to return?' program 
was perceived by migrants as “propaganda. Furthermore, “According to the current 
situation and looking at the statistics, it is hard to see this campaign as being a success. 
Secondly, the Polish authorities have tried to encourage migrants to return to the country. 
The city of Warsaw, for example, has claimed that it will pay €11,700 to every migrant 
returning to the Polish capital and starting a business there, partly financed with EU 
funds”. Thirdly, talking from my experience, there is this new custom in Poland supported 
by the EU that proposes that every Polish person registered at the Job Seekers Centre 
(JS) and is unemployed who decides to run a new business can make an application for 
a non-refundable loan.  JS in Poland works similarly to the one in the U.K. It’s funded and 

http://www.gpejournal.org/


Global Partners in Education Journal – Special Edition  December 2015, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 10-23 
 http://www.gpejournal.org/   ISSN 2163-758X 
 

21 
 

supported by the government, however, financial support will only last a maximum 6 
months. After that you are on your own. People go there for interviews, training, to find 
out about the job opportunities etc. JS is located in each city or town. The whole project 
is entirely funded from the EU budget. The condition states that your new company will 
have to prosper for at least one year otherwise the loan will need to be repaid. Personally, 
when I found out about this, I was excited at first but then I thought back to the taxing 
system, ZUS contributions and other bureaucratic aspects and decided not to go ahead 
with this concept. 
 
Table 2. Formal education 
 
Formal education Immigrants (primary) Workers in the country 

(comparison) 
Frequency % Frequency % 

Elementary 
education 

9 2.7 - - 

Vocational training 33 9.7 15 4.1 
Secondary School 54 15.9 177 48.8 
Technical School 72 21.2 135 36.6 
Higher education 87 25.7 21 5.7 
Graduate 
education 

78 23.0 15 4.1 

Other 6 1.8 6 1.6 
Total 339 100.0 369 100 

 
Andrzej Duda, the Polish president-elect at the time of writing stated: “Further emigration 
of Poles is a real threat to the existence of the Polish state. It is time to make repairs in 
many areas". He also mentions, among all the other issues, about obstacles for 
entrepreneurs. "The worst thing is taxation system in Poland […] No one here has made 
a good change since 1989". Consequently, his election manifesto promised that he will 
appoint the National Development Council to create a strategy for development "in areas 
in need of repair." Whether the promises and changes will halt the current exodus of 
Polish youth is a topic for future discussion and examination. 
 

Discussion and Conclusion 
 
Since I have returned to my country, I have only seen a rapid growth in new shopping 
malls, infrastructure, a lot of road works, funded projects here and there, new spaces for 
entertainment, new buildings, higher price tags, longer queues, and unfriendly admin staff 
(ever so infamous in Poland). I have only heard empty promises from the government 
that feed our hopes. I hear people complain on a regular basis whenever I take a bus or 
stop by the road to hitchhike. I hear my parents worry all the time, my brothers struggle 
to make ends meet, and my sister struggles because she does not have a job and is 
currently expecting a baby. I refuse to listen to the fake promises, to take minimum wage 
jobs, and I am not going to attach a photo to my CV and pray that there might be someone 
who picks it up.   

http://www.gpejournal.org/


Global Partners in Education Journal – Special Edition  December 2015, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 10-23 
 http://www.gpejournal.org/   ISSN 2163-758X 
 

22 
 

 
The status quo is not right here and maybe if people would shed their fear and start to 
work together instead of against each other, we would all experience a little bit less 
nonsense in our lives. Please don’t get me wrong, of course, I realize there are many 
countries that are far worse off nowadays, many people seek shelters and fight wars as 
we speak but this is essentially the reason for all conflict on this planet. No amount of 
words can change the way this world works but right here I take my space to share my 
account on life in the country I was born and like many other people, I am subjected to 
injustice on a regular basis. This was essentially the main reason why I left Poland as a 
young person. Another reason was lack of opportunity for better life and normality. I knew 
I could not count on any help from the government, I knew it back then and I know it now. 
For example, I have recently received a four page decision telling me why I am not eligible 
to receive the Job Seekers allowance because I did not satisfy the requirements of the 
tax office and that I resided in the foreign country for too long. Therefore I failed to prove 
the initial sentimental attachment to the country.  
 
I knew I needed to leave to make my own living and raise standards of living for my family 
on my own and I knew nobody else will do it for me. After almost a decade I find myself 
rejoicing in my family and starting a college degree. But I will not surrender to poor living 
conditions and put up with a constant struggle for survival. I will not say YES to the 
question: “Are you prepared to work for a minimum wage?” in the Job Seekers office. I 
refuse to take extended hours, unskilled and underpaid jobs just to be able to pay bills 
and taxes. Not then, when I was inexperienced teenager with only a high school’s 
certificate and not now when I am 31 years of age with almost a decade of experience 
and qualifications. If Poland will not change its politics and the system will not start to 
support graduates with creating spaces for them properly, the migrants who came back 
to give yet another go, will not be encouraged to stay and the brain drain will become 
irreversible and a hole in Poland’s demography. Those who work hard to get their 
education soon will not be even considering a job here at all when they find themselves 
appreciated with better working conditions, health system, family entitlements and 
salaries abroad.  Consequently, things will only get worse for Poland if the status quo will 
not start to work in favour of Polish citizens.  
 
When I look at this country, I wonder, is there any way at all, to change this sad reality? 
And I think to myself, there’s always a way but the biggest question remains, what is the 
priority here: power or people? Success often requires small but consistent steps, people 
working together, and we all need to integrate as a nation. Together we can take steps 
towards a better change but at the same time, I cannot get rid of the feeling that people 
nowadays, especially young Polish people, would rather take those steps outside the 
country borders.  

http://www.gpejournal.org/


Global Partners in Education Journal – Special Edition  December 2015, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 10-23 
 http://www.gpejournal.org/   ISSN 2163-758X 
 

23 
 

References 

 
Biznesu, P. & Monika, M. (2015). Będzie jeszcze więcej polskich lekarzy na Wyspach?” 

Londynek.net. Retieved from: 
http://londynek.net/wiadomosci/Bedzie+jeszcze+wiecej+polskich+lekarzy+na+Wy
spach+wiadomosci+news,/wiadomosci/article?jdnews_id=27326 

Davies, C. (2011). Poland struggles to reverse its brain drain. CNN.com. Retrieved 
from: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/09/07/poland.return.migration/ 

New EU migrants add £5bn to UK (2014). BBC.com. Retrieved from: 
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29910497  

Okólski, M. (2001). Incomplete migration: A new form of mobility in central and eastern 
Europe: The case of Polish and Ukrainian migrants. In C. Wallace & D. Stola 
(Eds.), Patterns of Migration in Central Europe. Basingstoke: Palgrave 
Macmillan. 

PKW: Andrzej Duda prezydentem. Kandydat PiS zdobył 51,55 proc., Bronisław 
Komorowski 48,45 proc. Głosów (2015). Newsweek Polska. Retrieved from: 
http://polska.newsweek.pl/wybory-prezydenckie-2015-wyniki-frekwencja-
pkw,artykuly,363762,1.html  

Retirement age in Poland (2014). Infor.pl. Retrieved from: 
http://www.infor.pl/prawo/emerytury/podwyzszenie-wieku-
emerytalnego/694223,Wiek-emerytalny-2015.html 

Sobczyk, M. (2010). Poland loses 1.4 million people to brain drain. The Wall Street 
Journal. Retrieved from: http://blogs.wsj.com/emergingeurope/2010/09/24/14-
million-poles-leave-in-eu-brain-drain/ 

Wallace, C. (2002). Opening and closing borders: Migration and mobility in east-central 
Europe’. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. 28(4), 603–25. 

Wynagrodznia kobiet I mezcsysn w 2013 roku (2013). Retrieved from: 
http://www.wynagrodzenia.pl/payroll/artykul.php/typ.1/kategoria_glowna.503/wpis
.2867 

 

http://www.gpejournal.org/
http://londynek.net/wiadomosci/Bedzie+jeszcze+wiecej+polskich+lekarzy+na+Wyspach+wiadomosci+news,/wiadomosci/article?jdnews_id=27326
http://londynek.net/wiadomosci/Bedzie+jeszcze+wiecej+polskich+lekarzy+na+Wyspach+wiadomosci+news,/wiadomosci/article?jdnews_id=27326
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/09/07/poland.return.migration/
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29910497
http://polska.newsweek.pl/wybory-prezydenckie-2015-wyniki-frekwencja-pkw,artykuly,363762,1.html
http://polska.newsweek.pl/wybory-prezydenckie-2015-wyniki-frekwencja-pkw,artykuly,363762,1.html
http://www.infor.pl/prawo/emerytury/podwyzszenie-wieku-emerytalnego/694223,Wiek-emerytalny-2015.html
http://www.infor.pl/prawo/emerytury/podwyzszenie-wieku-emerytalnego/694223,Wiek-emerytalny-2015.html
http://blogs.wsj.com/emergingeurope/2010/09/24/14-million-poles-leave-in-eu-brain-drain/
http://blogs.wsj.com/emergingeurope/2010/09/24/14-million-poles-leave-in-eu-brain-drain/

	New EU migrants add £5bn to UK (2014). BBC.com. Retrieved from: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29910497
	PKW: Andrzej Duda prezydentem. Kandydat PiS zdobył 51,55 proc., Bronisław Komorowski 48,45 proc. Głosów (2015). Newsweek Polska. Retrieved from: http://polska.newsweek.pl/wybory-prezydenckie-2015-wyniki-frekwencja-pkw,artykuly,363762,1.html

