The Causes of the Migration of the Polish within the European Union after May 1st, 2004 Cover Image

Przyczyny migracji Polaków w Unii Europejskiej po 1 maja 2004 roku
The Causes of the Migration of the Polish within the European Union after May 1st, 2004

Author(s): Luiza Wojnicz
Subject(s): History, Anthropology, Social Sciences, Geography, Regional studies, Human Geography, Historical Geography, Economic history, Political history, Social history
Published by: Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Szczecińskiego
Keywords: emigration; immigration; Poland; European Union; reasons to emigrate; the period after the accession

Summary/Abstract: After performing an analysis concerning the causes of the migration of the Polish to the European Union after May 1st, 2004 the author confirms the hypothesis that the economic reason is the main one; emigration creates a lot of possibilities, higher earnings, an improvement in the standard of living, and a higher socio-economic status. The second reason is the will to study at the universities of the EU, both within the frames of the Erasmus (Erasmus+) programme and individually on one’s own initiative. This kind of migration creates an opportunity of personal development and promotion, also in the academic sphere. A statistical analysis has confirmed that the third reason of migration is the will to travel, which in some cases is connected with finding a job. The Polish migration to the European Union is more and more frequently caused by a search for a better life style, which not necessarily is connected with looking for a job, but it means settling down in the chosen country and founding a family there. The data used in this article have been taken, inter alia, from the Central Statistical Office, the CEED Institute and the Work Service Agency.

  • Issue Year: 38/2016
  • Issue No: 3
  • Page Range: 131-150
  • Page Count: 20
  • Language: Polish