In May 2007 Poland and seven other European countries joined the European Union and gained free access to the labor market in several EU countries. As a result, about 700,000 people have left Poland to look for jobs in the United Kingdom. This doctoral dissertation research project will explore how urban quality of life and characteristics of the local labor market shape motivations to migrate and are differently evaluated by men and women and how the migration of skilled professionals affects urban economies in Poland. In the first part of the project, the doctoral candidate will investigate what characteristics of cities in Poland motivated young, educated professionals to emigrate. Most current research that deals with motivations for migration focuses either on individual economic reasons or on disparities in economic development on the national level, but in this project, the student will focus specifically on the urban-level factors that encourage young people to migrate. She also will investigate gender differences in migration motivations. The second part of the project will focus on how the emigration of young professionals has affected the economy and social cohesion of select Polish cities. Semi-structured interviews and focus-group discussions with migrants will provide information about how the urban environment motivates men and women to migrate to the UK. The impact of emigration on the cities of origin will be investigated through interviews with key-informants in Polish municipal governments and through a survey of companies in the selected Polish cities.
The proposed research will increase understanding about the ongoing integration of European labor markets. Because several countries have legislated incentives for professional migration, the mobility of young professionals is increasing across the European Union. This study will provide new insights regarding the urban-level causes that underlie this migration and the consequences of migration for cities in the sending countries. Cities all around the world are competing for skilled labor, so urban leaders need to understand how the negative characteristics of urban environments encourage emigration of skilled citizens. Understanding the causes of emigration will provide guidelines for making cities more attractive for skilled, educated professionals. The study also will address gaps in the literature with regard to the gendered experience of the urban environment and its impact on men's and women's migration decisions. As a Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement award, this award also will provide support to enable a promising student to establish a strong independent research career.
