Polish Labour Migration

An examination of the employment possibilities for Polish migrants in the West European labour markets.

This paper looks at how international labour migration from Poland to Western Europe has proved to be an effective strategy in overcoming some of the multiple problems of transformation after the communist system collapsed. It argues that Poles generally have access only to the secondary sector of labour economy. It also examines how bilateral intergovernmental agreements, official statistical data and survey results suggest that the labour flows to the primary labour markets are limited due to the structural constraints of European economies as well as migration policies and regulations of receiving societies.

Outline
Abstract
Introduction
Chapter 1 Theoretical Framework
Segmented Labour Market Theory of International Migration
Some Empirical Applications of Segmented Labour Market Theory
Chapter 2 Historical Roots Of Migration From Poland
Basic Migration Features Before the Communist Period (Up To 1945)
Basic Migration Features During the Communist Regime (1945-1979)Liberalization of the 1980s
Changes Caused by the Transition Period. Migrations After the 1990s
Chapter 3 Analysis of Polish Access to the Economic Sectors of the Western European Labour Markets
Structure of the Analysis and Methodological Considerations
Migration Policy
Bilateral Agreements on Foreign Employment of Poles
Seasonal Work in Germany
Project-Tied Employment by Polish Companies in Germany
Polish Labour Presence In Other Countries Of Western Europe (Employment In Western Europe Beyond the Framework of Bilateral Agreements)
Push Factors Responsible For Current Migration Flows-Migrants Characteristics
Summary of the Results
Conclusions
Bibliography
“The complexity and diversification of international migration has resulted in the fact that there is no single theory or model which would be able to explain the phenomenon of migration satisfactorily and to capture dynamics of the process and conditions related to its various phases. However, different models were adopted in the attempt to reveal and predict various specific aspects associated with it. Among the most important theories which aim to explain causes of international migration, its development, and why it tends to sustain, are the neo-classical economics, the new economics of migration, segmented labour market theory, world system theory, social capital theory, and cumulative causation. The latter models accentuate different aspects of this phenomenon.”