Strategizing Integration in the Labor Market. Turkish Immigrants in Poland and the New Dimensions of South-to-North Migration

The aim of this article is to examine the specific nature of the mobility patterns and labor market integration of the Turkish community in Poland, and to situate those phenomena in the broader context of migration from Turkey to northern Europe. Migration from Turkey to Poland is much newer than migration from Turkey to Western European states but has grown dynamically in the past decade. These migration flows are distinct from those inside the EU or from post-Soviet European countries such as Ukraine or Belarus to Poland. The article distinguishes three occupational trajectories that are typical for Turkish migrants in Poland. These paths are characterized by the various social environments in which they develop: the host society, the ethnic community, and the international (expat) community. Analysis reveals the great importance of co-ethnic networks, which play an even more crucial role because Turkish mobility to Poland is not supported by the state policies of either the sending or receiving country. The article refers to data from an original qualitative study (in-depth interviews) as well as to official statistical data from various sources.