Abstract
This paper highlights basic trends in migration outflows of Poles to Norway. It focuses on the fact that Polish migrants constitute the biggest group of immigrants in Norway and addresses the question regarding their geographical distribution. The authors analyse some theoretical approaches, statistical data and trends with special emphasis on the demographics of the Polish population in Norway in relation to the labour market and family behaviours. Furthermore, the analysis presented in this paper emphasizes that, along with the networks and growing number of children, a part of the temporary Polish migration into Norway has been transformed from circular migration into permanent migration. Therefore, adaptation of Polish migrants in Norway is better explained in terms of different stages in the migratory process rather than in terms of different categories of migrants. What is more, the process of pioneering male migration followed by a family reunification seems similar to that observed in Polish migration to the UK.
Highlights
IntroductionKeeping the Transfam project in mind, the migration model mentioned above should be extended in order to take into account the effects of family on the migration decision and the effects that the migration decision has on all members of the family or household
The aim of this paper is to provide background evidence on the scale and nature of Polish family migration to Norway
It should be stressed that Transfam’s findings confirm the results of earlier studies indicating that processes of migration and adaptation of Polish migrants in Norway are better explained in terms of different stages in the migratory process rather than in terms of different categories of migrants (Friberg, 2012a)
Summary
Keeping the Transfam project in mind, the migration model mentioned above should be extended in order to take into account the effects of family on the migration decision and the effects that the migration decision has on all members of the family or household. The conflicting interests and the family migration decision were studied by Polachek and Horvath (1977) and Mincer (1978). Their models recognise that individual family members can have conflicting interests. The family’s migration may enhance the well-being of some family members but reduce the well-being of others. It is worth mentioning that due to gendered family responsibilities (care for younger and older family members) women may be limited in their mobility even if they desire to migrate, more recent research shows that increasingly more men are following their migrating wives or partners (Cooke, 2013)
Published Version (Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have