International Organization for Migration (IOM)

(it is at its lowest in micro-businesses and highest in large companies). Other studies
(Duszczyk and Szylko-Skoczny, 2011) demonstrated that due to poorly developed
formal public channels, employers predominantly use informal ones to recruit thirdcountry
nationals for work. These mainly consist in the migration networks built by
migrants who have been coming to Poland for employment for several years now (see:
A4/Annex 3.I). As we have already indicated, microbusinesses and small enterprises
use informal channels more frequently. Medium-sized and large companies usually use
formal channels, using as a basis the intermediary services of job agencies, although
also in their case an important role is played by migration networks.
The issue of direct links between employers and foreign employees as a central one
in the recruitment process was also ascertained in questionnaire surveys performed
by the Migration Research Centre of the Warsaw University (Kaczmarczyk and
Okólski, 2008). They suggest that in the case of micro-businesses, the effect of
the network of connections was responsible for approximately 60 per cent of the
foreigners’ inflow. The migration network was not that important in the case of large
companies, where only 31 per cent of migrant workers came through the network of
connections. This means that other channels mattered, too, such as: posting from the
headquarters, press advertisements, and recruitment through specialized companies.
It needs to be stressed that employers surveyed by various teams pointed to a
consistently growing demand for migrant workers, which affects their recruitment
strategies and consequently opens up new immigration channels. This is caused by
difficulties in finding reliable Polish workers.
Recruitment channels for various categories of employees,
including highly qualified ones
Studies on migration streams carried out in Poland demonstrated the shaping up of
the foreigners’ inflow paths in sectors requiring high qualifications. As an example,
migrants are frequently employed in schools as foreign language teachers. This concerns
in particular nationals of Russian Federation, Belarus and Ukraine who are hired as
English language teachers. 72 In general, two recruitment channels are used here. The
first consists in using intermediary companies, acting as highly specialized temporary
employment agencies (see: A5/Annex 3.I). The second channel, which appears to be
less popular than the first, comprises active recruitment on site, that is, in the country
of origin. The following statement proves the existence of this channel. It also proves
the establishment of the migration network (see: A6/Annex 3.I).
Besides nationals of East European countries, Polish schools also employ foreigners
from such English-speaking countries as the United States, United Kingdom,
Canada and New Zealand as teachers. In contrast to employees from the East they
72 This issue may be surprising, particularly given the situation whereby we are dealing with enhanced
emigration to English-speaking countries. At the same time, owing to low salaries, numerous
alternative employment options outside education and growing demand from schools, the supply of
English language teachers is inadequate and there are still too few people in Poland willing to take the
jobs of foreign language teachers, particularly in small towns and villages.
country studIes – POLAND
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