Priorities and Developmental Directions of Polish Migration Policy

Poland is slowly transforming into a country attractive to immigrants, mainly from the east. At the same time, while mass westward emigration of Poles is unlikely, Polish migration policy faces various challenges, such as the need to prevent the outflow of specialists sought in western European countries. On the eve of joining the EU, there is an urgent need to Poland to work out the premises and priorities of its migration policy. There should be a single institution tasked with shaping and co-ordinating Poland's migration policy. There should be a parliamentary debate on the priorities of migration policy. Poland should actively join the debates on the common EU migration policy, aiming at ensuring the protection of its future social and economic interests. Poland's migration policy should take into account the protection of the country's human and intellectual potential by creating disincentives to emigration of young people and scientists. In the field of immigration, Poland should introduce quotas for the recruitment of skilled workers and take measures to prevent illegal employment of immigrants. Poland's migration policy should promote immigrants' integration into society. To this end, a campaign should be conducted to regularise the status of the large numbers of foreigners who are now residing in Poland illegally.