Migration Policy of Post-Socialist Poland: Dynamics of Strategic Approaches

The migration policy of post-socialist Poland concentrates on three main directions. The first one is a policy towards compatriots living abroad. The initiatives of this policy included special "Pole's card" designed for labor migrants and representatives of diasporas in 2007. Second component is a regulation of labor migration from the post-Soviet space, primarily Ukraine, to Poland. The third one is a counteraction against the afro-asiatization of Poland. The latter became relevant once the EU migration crisis broke out. These three areas of migration policy are highly interdependent. In recent years, the topic of migration has become increasingly important and controversial in Poland, causing internal disagreement among the members of the government. The dynamics of strategic approaches can be traced by comparing the concept of migration policy that was in force in 2012-2016 and the draft document intended to replace it, which was announced in mid-2019. Currently in power, eurosceptic conservatives, strongly rejecting multiculturalism, facilitate of returning of compatriots and attraction Eastern Slays labor migrants. The draft of the new migration strategy has been sharply criticized for its Islamophobia and assimilatory attitude towards those migrants who wish to choose Poland for the place of permanent residence. The migration policy of post-socialist Poland combines economic pragmatism with an appeal to various historical traditions. This gives the Polish strategy a great originality, which does not exclude its certain similarities with other Central European countries and the importance of Poland's experience for Russia.