Around 3 million Poles will have worked abroad during this year, according to some estimates. Their stay abroad is sometimes as short as a few weeks. Some have made several trips during the year on short contracts. One favorite destination is Ireland-Poles now make up about five percent of the population there. A large group went to another promised land-Britain.

The exodus to Britain had a smaller impact than in Ireland due to the larger size of the country. Having said that, there are areas of high Polish concentration in cities, particularly in London, and in places of seasonal employment. Expats returning home to the most remote parts of Wales and Scotland have a warm coming home welcome from barmaids - "Dobry Wieczór Tyskie".

Two years ago Poles went abroad to earn some money and improve their English. Others went as contract labour. A year ago more were taking permanent jobs at all skill levels, from accountants to zoo keepers. Many bus and taxi drivers are Polish. Job shortages are being resolved in Britain, to the extent that Job Centres (state-run employment bureaus) are actively filling vacancies directly from Poland. For Poles, shopping in Britain is sometimes like being at home. "Polski sklep" (Polish shop) or "Polskie produkty" (Polish products) signs appear even on Asian halal butcher shops. Many stores have Polish assistants.

The third stage of emigration started recently. Poles began to bring their families to Britain and send their children to school. Polish priests are working overtime with an increase in the number of Catholic masses being said on Sundays, and many marriages and christenings taking place. Poles are beginning to take advantage of the British social benefit system-a sign of a community becoming settled.

Poles are helping the British economic boom. Apart from vacancies being filled, new jobs are being created by Poles. Poles are going into business, such as bakers, hairdressers and building contractors. It is easy to register and start a business in Britain. Companies House (where all limited companies in Britain are registered) and local authorities employ Poles, giving advice in Polish, to assist in registration processes and in coping with bureaucracy. These new firms first catered to the Polish community and now to the wider British market.

The exodus of Poles has led to a skills shortage in Poland. Building contracting firms suffer a lack of skilled workers. Waiting lists for specialist treatment in hospitals are growing. Part-qualified accountants are difficult to find. This means salaries will increase in these sectors. There will be economic consequences from this, but if managed properly by the government, Poland will benefit. Some of this skills gap in Poland is being filled by Ukrainians and as of the new year, perhaps, by Bulgarians and Romanians. The consequences of the skills flow out of and into Poland will affect all of us living here.
Joe Smoczyński