Journalist from The Observer looking for UK Poles returning to Poland

I am a business journalist at The Observer newspaper (guardian.co.uk/profile/timwebb) writing an article about falling immigration to the UK and how it is affecting employers.

I have spoken to the Federation of Poles in Britain as well as businesses and economists, but am also keen to hear from Poles directly who have moved to the UK in the last five years to work but are now thinking of returning to Poland.

I would like to ask: why are you thinking of returning?, are employers offering you inducements to persuade you to stay (eg more pay, a permanent contract)? and are other parts of Europe now more attractive to work than the UK because of the economic slowdown/ high cost of living?

If anyone is interested in helping with the article, please email tim.webb@observer with your comments and your contact details if you are happy to speak to me. I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks and kind regards
Tim Webb
(industrial editor)

Write that the swans are going to be safe again... aye !

I just googled this person and he does appear genuine. <which does make a change>

However, the newsworthiness of stories never ceases to amaze me. One minute , it's why are the Polish coming here and now it's why are the Polish people going home.

What's the big deal ? Are there really no other more newsworthy stories to write about ?

:)

The newsworthiness is that today the Government has published statistics showing that the number of Eastern European migrants coming to work in the UK has fallen to its lowest level since 2004. Applications for the WRS scheme between April and June are down by a quarter compared to last year.

Yes, thanks for the summary :)

I do understand that there can be a story in it <it has been reported on before now too >

Will you be including other East European migrants or are you just concentrating on Polish people ? I wasn't too clear from your posts.

I agree if it includes all the other Eastern European migrants then it will make for extremely interesting reading.

Hope someone can give you the information you are looking for then.

Aren't the Government always saying they don't know how many people are coming here from the EU ?

Either they know or they don't.

I should some are leaving due to a combination of thing like a much higher cost of living that many were expecting, a sometimes hostile reception from the locals and awful weather.

Exactly, I have Czech and Slovak friends - a friend who is Czech has gone home simply because of the cost / standard of living over here, things have improved so much in Czech Rep. she can use her qualifications and be paid what she would be paid over here, yet the cost of living is much lower - she was a social worker at home but here she worked as a low paid administrator... Things have simply just moved on and improved, that's why people are going back "home", It must be a nice feeling.