# Enacting semi-periphery: conditions of post-accession migration from Poland to the UK

## TL;DR

This paper examines how Polish migrants in the UK faced discrimination and exploitation after Poland joined the EU in 2004, linking it to economic and structural inequalities.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a novel analysis of post-accession migration through the lens of World-Systems Analysis and biopower.

## Key findings

- Polish migrants in the UK experienced increased discrimination and unequal labor practices after EU enlargement.
- Economic disparities between EU countries contributed to the vulnerability of Polish migrants.
- Migration opportunities in the EU reinforced the peripheral status of Polish workers in the job market.

## Abstract

Since Poland’s accession to the EU in 2004, the sizeable community of Polish migrants in one of the top destination countries – the UK – have been subject to growing discrimination and hate speech in the form of negative media coverage, as well as unequal labour practices. This article explores the impact of the 2004 enlargement of the EU on the migratory experiences of Poles by examining the way the cross-EU free-movement regime contributes to their vulnerability and exploitation. It aims to uncover the way European integration explains the unequal treatment of Polish migrants in the ‘old’ Member States. The paper addresses the following questions: what factors have driven the increased number of Polish migrants in the UK in the context of the 2004 EU enlargement? Do economic discrepancies between the EU Member States, which fuel intra-EU migration, likewise shape migrant vulnerabilities? Adopting the theoretical lens of the World-Systems Analysis and the notion of biopower, this paper argues that the peripheral position of Poles in the EU single market during the early post-enlargement period has been reinforced by the migration experiences. This is an outcome of structural pressures that make the perspective of migration appear as aspirational and promising.

This article looks at how Poland’s entry into the EU in 2004 affected the migration motivation of Poles and their consequent experiences in the UK. It discusses the challenges they have faced, including discrimination, negative media coverage, and unfair working conditions. The study explores whether economic differences between EU countries made Polish migrants more vulnerable to exploitative practices and examines how the EU’s free movement impacts their experiences. Building on 41 interviews with Polish migrants in the UK, and through the lens of social theory, it argues that while migration is often seen as a chance for better opportunities, it has also kept Polish workers in lower-status positions within the EU job market.