Migration in the EU Case Study: Polan to the UK

Migration in the EU - Poland to the UK

Context:

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  • 1st April 2004, Poland was one of ten nations joining the EU
  • Eight of those countries were poor Eastern European countries (known as the A8)
  • It was the largest single expansion since its creation in 1957
  • EU allows free movement of labour between its member countries
  • UK Government expected influx of Polish people because of the better lifestyle in the UK
  • By July 2006, 447,000 people from Eastern European had applied to work in the UK, 62% were from Poland
  • Polish Embassy stated the number of Polish workers in Britain was between 500,000-600,000
  • Polish are 3rd largest minority ethnic group in UK

Reasons for Migration from Poland to the UK:

Push Factors:-

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    • Average unemployment in Poland at 18.5% in 2005
    • Youth unemployment of around 40%
    • Rural unemployment in some areas are over 40%
    • The average income in Poland was $12,500 a year compared to $30,900 in UK

Pull Factors:-

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    • Unemployment in UK at 5.1%
    • Establishes Polish communities within the UK
    • High demand for skilled and semi-skilled…