I was born in Canada to Polish parents and am moving to Poland this year to run an agro-tourist business in DolnySlask.
The biggest problem I have encountered in Poland is the sluggish bureacrasy filled with people who feel that they are entitled to jobs - just like in Canada. Beautiful country. I know there will be challenges, but living in Canada is getting worse and worse, especially in big cities and the cost of living is outpacing incomes. Best thing about Poland is the culture, beauftiful Polish people and scenery.

Ted, Toronto, Canada

Should I stay or should I go now...?
Well, I think I rather stay, It's not about money, it's about normal life and lack of fear about tomorrow.

Justyna Staszek, Bristol, Avon

Honesty, story telling...
It’s true that a builder earns even two G in pounds in Warsaw.
I as a student in Lublin, 100 miles east from Warsaw I can earn as a front desk man in very good restaurant just a pound per hour!


Where ais logic?

JanPolack, Lublin, Polska

Most probably the first ones to go are these Polish people who earn the minimum wages + those who left families back home.
There were plenty of Poles who came here to save every penny, working long hours, squeezed in overcrowded living conditions - they must be seriously thinking of going back as the sitution in their homeland improves.

However, there are many who managed to bring their families here and set up a new life or those who wanted to get out of a country full of nepotism, just to try living in a country of opportunities for well educated, hard-working people.

Many of the latter succeeded and became a part of the British society, having almost assimilated into it, at least giving a hope for doing so much more easily than even the 2nd or 3rd generation of immigrants from distant countries of the Commonwealth.

The Polish job market is far from being a real market where the 'price' is known. All adverts still lack a salary range and the employer doesn't 'sell' anything

Bartek, Beaconsfield, UK

It's all temporary. The exchange rate will improve at some point when the boom ends in Poland (and it always does). Now, the question is who we trust more in the long-term: the Polish politicians (be it Tusk or Kaczynski) or the British ones (even left-wing Gordon Brown). Moreover, do you really want to go back to a country where your manager is your king and master who can do with you whatever they fancy or rather your mate whose job just happens to involve managing you.

Szym, London,

and the Polish average wages are growing constantly up..and up...and up :-) so thank you guys that you have left Poland. thanks to you, i'm able to earn more and more... and more ;-)

Piotr, Wroclaw, Poland

kara, the Polish culture is a part of the European culture since forever.

Bart, Szczecin,

rubbish ... are they comming back? have you really noticed such a thing?
and polish officials say ....blah blah blah ... they always say a lot ... don't they ...
if you are polish you know what that means ...

tomasz, W/ton, Cumbria

Your report is completely false on Polish wages.My wife is a Polish helath service nurse in 2008 and earns the equivalent of 400 Pounds per month for full time hospital nursing -no where near the average wage of 800 Pounds per month you were quoting for a Polish wage in 2003!
Do not worry,there will be plently of Polish workers in the UK for the next 5-10 years at least!

John Coueslant, Poznan,Poland,

As an american visiting Britain over the years, I have been overjoyed at the level of service the Poles brought to Blighty. Across the board they have been excellent; courteous, polite, hardworking, and not inclined to get drunk and fight. I will miss them the next time I order breakfast at a hotel in Britain.

Laurence Budd, Ft collins, USA/colorado

If we were lucky, this would represent the majority of eastern europeans who plonk down here. But I hardly think it reflects many of them.

There is no way EU can handle the overwhelming number of people that come in from these countries. Hundreds of years of European culture... crumbling before our eyes, for no better reason, than the decisions of extremely dumb politicians who do not respect or care what the population of the country really wants!

kara, Barcelona, Spain

Andy - the number of billions of pounds (7-9) that has gone to Poland is but a drop in the ocean compared to their input to the UK's total economy (200+) over the past four years. Who'd have done all that work they did over that time? It'd have been left undone. No taxable profits. And the UK housing bubble would have burst years ago had it not been for hundreds of thousands of people renting from buy-to-let landlords.

Question you must face Andy is who's going to pull your pint, fix your plumbing and make your latte. A Somalian? Romanian? Albanian? Or a workshy British NEET?

Michael , Warsaw, Poland

I'm glad to see the Poles are going home - because I like the Poles. They are intelligent, honest and hard-working.

I was saddened to read newspaper articles about how the incidence of STDs had risen in Poland because of Poles returning from Britain.

Eamonn, Cardiff,

So the hard working Poles are leaving with the hard working Brits. We shall leave the UK with a dwindling productive population serving the needs of the wealthy few who come to Britain to avoid tax and enjoy the protection of a police type state with CCTV, DNA , NHS, databases etc etc.

Steve Marchant, Broadhempston, UK

How many billions of pounds have gone from England to Poland?

Andy, London,

So how long before Britons start migrating east to find work?

Paul, Coventry,

Well, well, well now there’s a surprise 'NOT' I predicted this to friends sometime ago. Looks like a lot of people are going to have a lot of leaks? Also let’s not forget the large German car companies moving operations to Poland. No wonder there was an instant U-turn "Last month Gordon Brown wanted contracts and benefit cuts for those who refuse training," and "This month he says he wants contracts and benefit increases for those who accept training. Oh dear Mr Brown’

Layton Bevan, Neath, Wales

''Polish builders have spent four years forcing their British rivals to raise their game.''

Not so.

British builders still act like a disco of yobs turning up acting like they own your property.
They still have a massive attitude problem.

Politicians seem scared to sort the industry out.

K. Urban, London, UK

Thanks for all British people for good time in UK. I adore your culture, met many interesting folks, had a smashing time. U welcome in Poland (esp. Krakow). Regards. Daniel

daniel, krakow, poland