Population Case Study - Migration from Poland to the UK Flashcards
How many Eastern Europeans have entered the UK to work since 2004?
1.5 million, 2/3 of which are Polish.
How many Polish people are living in the UK?
545,000 people.
What are some of the push factors of Poland?
High levels of unemployment; 18.5% working age people are unemployed.
Poor living conditions.
Low salaries/income.
Poor public services/facilities.
Housing shortages.
Difficult climate.
Social/Political unrest.
What are some of the pull factors of the UK?
No language barrier for most Polish workers.
Cheap flights + coach services.
Plenty of jobs.
Average Polish worker is paid 5x more in the UK than in Poland.
Racial/Religous tolerance.
Free NHS + education.
High standards of living.
What negative impacts did migration have on Poland?
There was a brain drain- clever, skilled people left the country for better pay, so Poland was left without doctors/teachers etc.
What positive impacts did migration have on Poland?
3 billion euros were sent back to Poland in 2006.
What negative impacts did migration have on the UK?
Housing shortages- full council houses.
Pressure on schools.
Pressure on the NHS.
Many working in the informal sector (workers who don’t pay taxes).
Possible hostility between British and Polish workers.
Some migrants are victims of violence- gangs etc.
What positive impacts did migration have on the UK?
Skilled workforce- more doctors/teachers etc.
£4 million boost from migrants.
More taxes are paid to the government.
Catholic Church attendance went up.
Increased birth rate.
