The Poles are one of the most likely migrating nations around the world. Our main target in the last 10 years has been United Kingdom. Poles are still migrating and nothing is going to change until the civilization gap between Poland and Western Countries disappears.
Historical review of migrating Poles
According to datas from 2008, it is estimated, that almost 21 mln Poles and people of polish descent, live out of the territory of Poland. Major population of polish diaspora can be found in the United States (9 mln), Germany (2 mln), Brazil(1,8 mln), France (1 mln) and Canada (0,9 mln). Polish immigrants come from few waves of migration. The most meaningful polish migration took place in 1830,after the November Uprising. Great Immigration, as Poles call it, consisted mainly of important politicians, generals and artists. Most of them emigrated to France and Belgium. Among the notable Poles forced to living in exile were personage such as Adam Mickiewicz, Fryderyk Chopin, Juliusz Slowacki or Cyprian Kamil Norwid. The next wave of migration lasted since the second half of nineteenth century to 1939. The main reason of it was economical instability. Millions Polish people living first under the occupation of Austria, Russia and Prussiaand later after regaining independence in free country, left their homeland for the search of a better job or future. Many Poles had to emigrate due to II World War. Poles were also migrating in the end of 60’s (the exodus of polish Jews), in the 80’s and after 1989. Now, we are eyewitnesses of another huge emigration, which started with the day when Poland joined the European Union in 2004. Thanks to the free movement of workers, which is a fundamental principle of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Poles could start looking for a new future in European countries. Most of them chose Great Britain and started there a new life.
Impact of Polish migration on UK
The figures published by The Home Office(the lead British government department for immigration and passports, drugs policy, counter-terrorism,police, and science and research) show that between 1 May 2004 and 30June 2007 exactly 430 395 Poles were accepted on to the Worker Registration Scheme. It is important to remember that many of them ignored the scheme, so real number could be far higher. Most who came were young – 78% aged between 18 and 34 – and only 5% brought school-age children with them. The HomeOffice says they have gone where the work is, filling gaps in the labour market in administration, agriculture, hospitality and catering, and food, fish and meat-processing. Large Polish communities are located in London, Liverpool,Birmingham, Bradford, Huddersfield, Leeds, Manchester and Nottingham. Number of Poles emigrated also to Ireland, Wales and Scotland. Together with Polish citizens, in Great Britain appeared Polish restaurants, newspapers and shops. Polish people were the main power among all immigrants in United Kingdom and polish language was commonly heard in the streets.
The light and dark side of Polish migration – what do they think about us?
Each migration has enormous influence on economy, politics, culture and social relations of country, which takes in immigrants and country, from whom those immigrants come from. How British perceive Poles in their country? According to survey prepared by GfK NOP Telebus more than two thirds of the British population agree that Polish migrant workers are hard workers who benefit their economy. When we read comments on any British forum we can notice, that Polish immigrants generate mixed feelings. Some of the UK’s citizens admire ambition and diligence workers from east. They appreciate that we are able to fill jobs that none of British would do. Somehow there are also negative opinions about Poles in UK. I encourage you to read an interesting discussion:
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090221104830AAXHX9c
‘Come back toPoland’
The campaign launched in 2007 by the British Polish Chamber of Commerce called ‘Wracaj do Polski’ was aimed to encourage Poles living in UK to return home. Relatively good condition of Polish economy, better situation on native job market and political stabilization were to convince countrymen that living in Poland does not have to be horrible. Surprisingly the scale of returners is not as huge as specialist expected. Prof Krystyna Iglicka, of the Centre for International Affairs in Warsaw, told the BBC: 'From our side this is not true. We do not see them here. We do not see them in any other different countries." This information is a little bit shocking regarding the recent opinions that half of Polish workers had already returned home.
Titbit of news:
- The mother of David Miliband (former Foreign Secretary) and Ed Miliband (leader of Labour Party) was born in Poland.
- Sir Jack Cohen, the founder of Tesco, was the son of Polish immigrants.
- Joseph Conrad, one of the greatest novelists in English, was born into a highly patriotic, noble Polish family.
- If you wanted to fly to UK in 2003, you had to choose one of the two airports (Warsaw or Krakow). Today there are 10 Polish cities, which have connection with Great Britain!
- The main centre of Polish minority in Great Britain is Hammersmith, one of the London’s district.
- The most positive London’s person ever is Zbigniew Kolbecki, in Great Britain known as Ziggy. He is recognized as a legendary dancing street cleaner.
- ‘The Londoners’ is a polish TV series about Polish immigrants in London, aired on TVP1 since 2008.
'The Poles are coming'
If you are interested in the presented topic, I strongly reccommend you the document titled 'The Poles are coming'. I'm adding the first part of it:
Sources:
- http://www.gowerpublishing.com/pdf/SamplePages/Polish_Migration_to_the_UK_in_the_New_European_Union_Intro.pdf
- http://culture.polishsite.us/articles/art367fr.htm
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1245251/Claims-half-Polish-immigrants-returning-home-true.html#ixzz1p7zzx7aS
- http://polonia.h2.pl/index.php?id=pwko00
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/3556852/Why-Britain-needs-Polish-migrants.html
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_migration_to_the_United_Kingdom
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8473869.stm
It's really difficult to assess if Poles migration are beneficial for our country. There are some advantages and also disadvantages of this situation. Now, a lot of young, well-educated people go abroad to find good, well-paid job, so unemployment increases. They often left their family and friends, so they feel very alone and unhappy in foreign country. One of the advantages of this situation is that most of people come back to homeland and often invest all the money which earned abroad in country,so it's a benfit to the our country economy.
ReplyDeleteI personally think that the emigration of Poles is not a good thing. Instead of improving our economy, they help in improving the economy of other countries. This is particularly true of young people. Poland offers many opportunities for the establishment's own economic activities. So I think they should stay in their homeland and this is where they should pump more money.
ReplyDeleteHonestly I do not understand why Poles shouldn`t emigrate. If it is opportunity to get a better job for much more money, why not? Of course it would be more patriotic to stay in our country and work on his economy development but if it doesn`t give us anything why should we stay at a lower level of living than we could?
DeletePoland offers many opportunities? Could you count out them? I Rather think, that Poland does not offer opportunities for conducting businness and create new workplaces. What's more our law and political system build many barriers, which kill any activity, creativity and enterprise. Besides earning abroad makes a chance that some of the emmigrants will come back and spend or invest saved money in Poland.
DeleteWe have to think through the reasons why people want to live abroad, many of them are very educated and are specialists in their craft. The emigration started out with joining to the EU and lasted for a few years. There has been new job markets opened for people, who couldn't have find a well-paid job in Poland. They went abroad, set their new homes and started new life. Many of those people want to come back now, because they feel lonely in foreign countries and want to give Poland a try. Personally, I am constantly thinking about going abroad, but everything may change in the future.
ReplyDeleteI understand people who emigrate. They are looking for well-paid jobs, better living conditions. They have to take care of themselves and family, because the government won't. I know something about this because my dad worked abroad for years. This is very difficult- separate with family, finding in a new place, a completely different culture and language, homesickness, etc. So I know that doesn't want to leave.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion polish people migrate because the see chance to live better abroad. For example young well educated people leave Poland in searching well paid work, stable employment and they have hope that they career path will be clearly identified. But this is not good for our country and for them. They are far away from their family which is not easy. Many of them want to come back and try work and live in Poland.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that people migrate because they see better future for them abroad. On the one hand it is true because they can have better job and better payment conditions. On the other hand, I think that such people sooner or later feel lonely and start to miss their native country. Although they spend abroad many years, it is not their home. That's why a lot of people after some time come back to Poland. I think that Polish people are considered abroad as good workers. We are hard- working, not afraid of any kind of work, and we treat our duties serious. That's why it is not a problem for Polish person to find a job abroad.
ReplyDeleteVery reliable presentation, I like it.
ReplyDeleteI think that the decision of emigration sholud be very hard. It's hard to leave family, friends, well-known places and start everything in new country with the foreign people, other language etc. Very often emigrants work in bad conditions, not in their learned profession...
I want to stay in Poland and I hope I'll.
Thank you, Kasia! :D
DeleteI would also like to live and work in Poland but at the same time I want to try working abroad. However, it would be only the short episode in my life, which would be, I hope, great adventure and the time of my personal and professional development.
I agree with You, that in our world poeple are migrating very often around the world. What is the reason? Plotical? Economy? Or? Maybe poeple migrating because the have to. In the past people have to leave our country, because political situation was very danger. But now we have a freedom, and people migrating all the time. I think that poeple who are living abroad, are missing for their old friends, family and Poland.
ReplyDeleteLife in other country is possible and many people want to grab that opportunity but of course, not all.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, life in Great Britain is proposal for young people who want to try a new life. They can improve language, know new culture and people, gain very important experience.
I understand people who leave family and come to UK. Some part of Poland have really high unemployment so they are forced to go abroad, they need money for life.
To be honest, I would like to live in UK for few years in the future. I hope, I will save cash and when I come back to Poland I buy a new house. It's horrible (for me) that young people take a credit and they repay the loan for 30 years! Unfortunatelly it's Polish reality.
It was really reliable and professional presentation so big plus for You - Greg :)
Ho, ho :P Next nice compliment. Thanks :)
DeleteI agree with you that living in UK can be profitable (language, experience, etc.). That's why I approve temporal migrations with intention to come back to country. According to Polish reality... no, I am not going to comment it :P It is a great topic for another presentation ;d
Personally, I wouldnt emigrate.. I love my country in spite of people who destroy it, what is more I wouldnt live without my family and my friends.. Maybe one day when there will be an opportunity to take a chance in foregin country I will try. Nowadays I'm glad I can study in my country. But there are people who have no job in Poland and I can understand that they emigrate because in other countries they can earn quite enough money to live good.
ReplyDeletePhenomenon that the poles migrate is normal and obvious. Reasons of migration changed.Nowadays people migrate for money, better job, better life, sometimes for higher goals.
ReplyDeleteOften people prove that situation bad atmosphere in our country, bad governemnt and their policy, that they don't encourage us to stay at home, work and support our economy.
It is understandable but on the other hand migration has also good consequences and it is profitable for economy of country migrants come form - it is complicated but Marta Kata(previous comment) explains it a little.
Nowadays migration is occurrence very common. In my opinion the main reason why our nationals leave the country is possibility of development and bigger profits. It's hughe waste for our country. Our state somotimes can't guarantee us good conditions of work so we are forced to leaving the country.
ReplyDeleteNowadays, migration (national or international) is normal situation. Maybe now it's worse time to find work in the UK, but earlier it was really huge chance. Especially for young people.
ReplyDeletePoles go abroad in search of better prospects. If they can find work there, very often it is better paid than in Poland, and often these are some high office.
ReplyDeleteMy aunt and her family moved to England 7 years ago and does not plan to return to the Polish. They live there, well, anyway that not all Englishmen to accept. However, most willingly help them if necessary and maintain contact with them.
Unfortunately more and more people go abroad. Wher it comes from? I think there are many reasons for migration. In Poland many young people who graduated from university can't find good job or goog paid job. They find better life abroad. Unfortuanely in Poland avarage salary isn't so good. Some go to work, others to study, and others to visit friends and stay in a foreign country for many years or a lifetime. I don't want to emigrate, because I can't imagine life without my friens, family. I will feel like alien person in other counry. I love Poland and i think I'll stay here.
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of poles migrate to the UK because they have there chance to increase their earnings. Conduct of life is much easier than here in Poland. England has a large social benefits that encourage families to jointly found in them. Most of migrants from Poland are happy in UK.
ReplyDelete