Imigranci z UE/EFTA w Polsce. Instytucjonalizacja swobodnego przepływu pracowników – realizacja, problemy, bariery

Abstract

Immigrants from EU/EFTA in Poland. The institutionalization of freedom of movement for workers: implementation, issues, obstacles Poland is gradually transitioning from being a source of migrants to a receiving country, and this applies to two different groups of migrants: third state nationals, and nationals of member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) who arrive in Poland within the freedom of movement for workers. Each of these groups is subject to different legislation, and the present article is concerned with the latter group of migrants: citizens of EU/EFTA states who live and work in Poland. Their number is systematically growing, but it is not known exactly how many EU/EFTA foreigners reside in Poland, as no state institution is in charge of gathering such data; government agencies possess only partial data pertaining to their particular scope of activity. In this article we describe the institutionalization of the freedom of movement process. We present the legal regulations pertaining to freedom of movement, and a map of the bureaus, both Polish and European, associated with the EURES and Solvit networks, tasked with facilitating worker mobility within the EU. We ask whether Poland is implementing the requirements imposed by the EU directive on freedom of movement for workers, or are radical improvements in this area needed. We analyze the administrative and non-institutional obstacles encountered by immigrants from the EU and EFTA as well as the issues met by officials who serve them. We tap from the results of research on the free movement of workers carried out in Poland in 2018.