Przyczyny i struktura emigracji obywateli Polski po akcesji do UE
Causes and structure of emigration of Polish citizens after the accession to the European Union

Summary/Abstract: The process of emigration is a complex phenomenon, because it consists of shortterm emigration (3 to 12 months) and long term (over 12 months). The main difficulty in studying this phenomenon is due to the fact that in Poland only migration for permanent residence, which is part of a long-term emigration, is monitored. Thus there is distinct lack of reliable data for short-term and long-term emigration. Young people constitute the majority of emigrants in Poland and their trips are primarily of profit-making nature. Such a situation results in new economic theories of migration which are based on behavioural strategies and types of emigrants. The article analyzes the level of emigration and immigration and spatial differentiation rate of emigration by voivodeship. It also presents characteristics of an average emigrant (permanent residence) − sex, age, education, and identifies the causes of emigration, as well as the target countries. The analysis of these studies leads to the following conclusions: 1. The size of emigration in the studied period was significantly greater than immigration, which resulted in the loss of population, hence making impact on the demographic situation of the country; 2. In the initial period, most emigrants were men, but in the second part of the period the situation evened out; 3. Young (aged 20-34), well-educated people form the majority of Polish emigrants; 4. The analysis of spatial differentiation of emigration for permanent residence indicates the regions of the most intense emigration (Opole and Silesia voivodeships) and the increasing dynamics of emigration rate; 5. Germany and the UK are the main countries of destination of Polish emigrants.

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