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SOCIĀLO ZINĀTŅU FAKULTĀTES RAKSTI III
EU10 Member States show that by simply working in the ROI at a minimum wage, a Pole
would enjoy 2.5 times higher purchasing power in the ROI than in Poland, and a Lithuanian
would see over three times higher purchasing power in the ROI than in Lithuania. Thus,
earnings incentives for EU10 nationals to migrate to ROI were particularly strong.
Figure 1. 2004 Gross Domestic Product Per Capita at Purchasing Power Standard
(EU15 = 100%)
Slovenia
Czech
Republic
Hungary
Slovakia
Estonia
Lithuania
Poland
Latvia
Romania
Bulgaria
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Source: Drew and Sriskandarajah 2006, p. 3.
Characteristics of EU10 Migrant Workers in the ROI
The number and the percentage of Personal Public Service Numbers (PPSNs) issued to
the EU10 nationals by the Irish Department of Social and Family Affairs show that Polish
nationals are the largest group, but it is actually Latvians and Lithuanians who have the highest
propensity to come to the Irish labour market (Doyle et al, 2006: 62). Poland is not only the
largest of the EU10 Member States with a national population of nearly 40 million, but has one
of the weakest labour markets (Doyle et al, 2006: 61). Just as the ROI did thirty years ago,
these countries are experiencing poor economic conditions with high unemployment rates and
abysmal Gross Domestic Product per capita, and therefore, the propensity of their nationals to
come to the ROI and to work is comparatively higher. According to the analysis conducted by
Doyle et al (2006: 62 – 63), based on the data from Eurostat and the Irish Department of Social
and Family Affairs, the correlation between propensity for EU10 migrant worker to migrate
and Gross Domestic Product per capita of country of origin is at -0.66 and is statistically
significant at the five percent level while the correlation between the propensity to migrate and
the unemployment rate is not.
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