Intra-EU Migration Flashcards
Give 3 reasons why people decided to leave Poland (push factors)?
1) High unemployment- around 19% in 2004.
2) Low average wages e.g the average income in the EU in 2004 was nearly three times greater than it was in Poland.
3) Low availability of housing.
Give 3 reasons why people decided to come to the UK (pull factors)?
1) Ease of migration- e.g UK, Ireland and Sweden allowed unlimited migration.
2) Good exchange rate- a few pounds was worth a lot of the polish currency so they could send a few pounds back and make a big difference.
3) Plenty of and better paid jobs- labour shortage in UK.
Demographic consequences for Poland and the UK.
Population has shrunk because so many have migrated away.
Birth rate has decreased between 2003 and 2005- a lot of people that left were of reproductive age.
Population of the UK has increased.
Social consequences for Poland and the UK.
Migration of working age people has helped the problems caused by the UK’s ageing population.
Young migrant workers pay taxes and these are used to support the older retired people, e.g they pay for pensions.
Political consequences for Poland and the UK.
The immigration policy of the UK has been changed because of the influx of Polish migrants.
When Romania and Bulgaria joined in 2007, the UK didn’t allow unlimited migration like it had for Poland.
Economic consequences for Poland and the UK.
UK economy loses out because money earnt in the UK by polish workers isn’t all spent in the UK.
The Polish economy grows because of money sent back.
Shortage of labourers in Poland- less work can be done + economy can’t grow as much.
Cultural consequences for Poland and the UK.
Shops selling Polish products have opened in areas where lots of Polish people have settled.
The number of people attending Catholic church services in the UK has increased because most of the Polish migrants are Catholic.
Environmental consequences for Poland and the UK.
Increased immigration from Poland has meant more air traffic between Poland and the UK.
Increased traffic means more greenhouse gases are released making global warming worse.
In 2008 lots of migrants moved back to Poland. What are reasons why?
1) Less work is available in the UK- economy is thought to be shrinking, so less money is being spent on things like house renovation- less work for trademen.
2) More work is available in Poland- economy is growing- providing more work. GDP is growing.
3) Less favourable exchange rate.
What are push factors for the migration of UK to Spain?
The cost of living is rising in the UK. Shopping, fuel, electricity and mortgage payments are getting more expensive, but people’s earnings aren’t increasing at the same rate, so they have less to spend on other things.
The UK has a cool, wet and changeable climate.
What are pull factors for the migration of UK to Spain?
The cost of living is lower in Spain, so people have more money to spend on other things.
Spain has a hot, dry and less changeable climate than the UK. Retired people move because they prefer the Spanish climate.
Spain and the UK have become more interlinked, making it easier for people to migrate.
Increase in budget air travel from companies like Easy jet has meant that people can afford to visit family and friends they’ve left in the UK several times a year.
Improved communications such as cheap telephone calls and use of the internet means people can keep in close contact even when they’re living far away e.g Skype.
Demographic consequences for Poland and the UK.
Population has shrunk because so many have migrated away.
Birth rate has decreased between 2003 and 2005- a lot of people that left were of reproductive age.
Population of the UK has increased.
Demographic consequences for Spain and the UK.
The population structure of the UK and Spain is altered.
The people that retire to Spain are mostly older (over 65) so the population structure of Spain will have a greater proportion of older people while the UK a reduced proportion.
Environmental consequences for Spain and the UK.
Many UK migrants don’t live in Spain all year- regularly returning which leads to increasing air traffic, which causes more pollution.
