Labour, Mobility and Temporary Migration: A Comparative Study of Polish Migration to Wales

This book presents a close-up account of sociological research on Polish migrants who came to the region of South Wales in the wake of Poland's entry into the EU in 2004. At the time, they were seen as economically motivated, short-term migrants who would enter the UK to work, save money, and return home. More than a decade after EU enlargement, however, the large number of Poles who have opted to stay in the UK has forced a reconsideration of that assumption. A reassessment of the long-term place of Poles within Wales is thus long overdue, especially in the wake of new tensions related to Brexit.

Julie Knight is a senior research manager at the Regional Economic Studies Institute, Towson University, Maryland.
John Lever is a senior lecturer at the University of Huddersfield Business School.
Andrew Thompson is head of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of South Wales.