Living and working in the UK from a Polish perspective Part 1: The nuts and bolts

By Homo Polonicus

I came from Wroclaw to live in the UK in 2004 and I’ve often heard the question from both Poles and Brits: “Why did you choose to live in the UK?” My answer is the same every time; because it is easier to come, live and find a job here than in any other European country. Let me explain.

After graduating from university, I decided to leave Poland and start an independent life in other country. The reason behind this decision was strictly one of economics – I couldn’t find a job, and I mean any job in my home country, due to very high unemployment (which, at the time, was around 20%); and, like most people, I needed a job to survive.

This situation in Poland was gloomy for young people starting their independent lives, so the best thing to do was for me to make my own destiny rather than waiting for a miracle to happen. Many young Poles felt the same and our country’s entry into the EU in 2004 provided the impetus for exodus in two main directions: the UK and Ireland.

However, before I decided on the UK, I carried out research on the countries in which I’d like to live but, due to the economic situation, migrating to the UK was the most obvious choice for many reasons. The language factor is of great importance; many Polish people already speak English, which is taught in every school in Poland, so it’s easier to decide to emigrate to the UK, than to, say, Sweden (which, by the way, has also opened its borders for Polish workers). It is also worth remembering that such a migration does not take into account factors such as the weather, the food or the locals’ habits; these things are not as important as finding a good job and a place to live.

A move to the UK is a great opportunity to learn and improve your English-language skills. Personally, I couldn’t imagine living in a country where I didn’t speak the language; however, many Poles have come to the UK without knowing any English, although they face an uphill battle jobs-wise.

As an EU citizen Poles don’t need a visa or work permit, which translates into straightforward and cost-free procedures for starting a new life in the UK. In fact, you don’t even need a residence card to live in the UK and you can stay as long as you wish.  

However, if you’re migrating to the UK to work, the only thing you have to get is a national insurance number; and obtaining one is almost hassle-free. I’ll be covering this in a later article.

The first people who left Poland on the wave of massive migration, in May 2004, came back saying how very easy it was to find employment in the UK and Ireland. This encouraged many to follow the increasingly worn path and, currently, there are some 750,000 Poles in the UK.

The UK is relatively close to Poland, which allows us to go back home quite often. Lack of strict procedures for living in the UK has positively impacted upon people’s decisions in other ways – if there are no legal ties, like in the USA for example where you still need a visa to pass its borders, the decision is made easier, very often by the rule: I don’t have anything to lose, so why shouldn’t I try? I was also aware that among the 60 million people living in the UK, many are foreign nationalities, so theoretically there should be sympathy for immigrants.

There have also been other factors encouraging Polish people to choose the UK, especially those who don’t speak English. Employment agencies in Poland have started to offer jobs in the UK, for such blue-collar jobs as welders and electricians; some even help with finding accommodation. In addition, they very often include transport to the island.

Not only that, the UK government has published information explaining in simple ways how to find a job and rent an apartment, what the approximate cost of living is and what health care is available etc on its official websites at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/

Some websites, such as the NHS website at http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/languages/leaflets.aspx?language=pl is in Polish, which is not only useful, but leaves you with the impression that the UK government really cares about immigrants living in its country.

However I didn’t expect I would be welcomed with such open arms, but this is an article for next time. . . .