Migrants 'going back to Poland'

Migrants 'going back to Poland'
Many Polish migrants are returning to their homeland, says a group working with Eastern Europeans in Derby.
The Eastern European Migrants Advice Committee said it has recently seen a change of the flow of people between Poland and Britain.

It is estimated about 6,000 people came from Poland to Derby but now it is thought around 500 returned due to low wages and poor living conditions.

A community worker said there were new work opportunities in Poland.

In the long term probably I would consider going back to Poland

Lucasz Gazda

Bish Wojcick said people were returning because of the new construction work, including that taking place ahead of Poland and Ukraine hosting the 2012 European Football Championships.

He added: "There's a lot of construction work starting to happen in Poland and people now are turning round and saying 'well, let's go home'."

Lucasz Gazda, a Pole studying at Derby University, said his brother Mariusz had returned home after coming to Britain to pursue a career.

He said: "After one year he decided to go back, he wasn't able to find employment in his area of interest, mainly in engineering. In the long term probably I would consider going back to Poland."

The East Midlands Development Agency (Emda) said the trend appeared to be repeated across the region and nationally.