Od zbiorowości do społeczności: rola migrantów osiedleńczych w tworzeniu sie̜ społeczności imigranckich w Polsce

We study recent immigration to Poland by immigrants who are set to settle in the country for good. Drawing on the register of permanent residence permits (maintained by the Office for Repatriation and Aliens), and on data from a 2005 representative survey of Ukrainian and Vietnamese settlement migrants carried out in Mazowieckie province, we conduct comparative analysis of the patterns of migration and adaptation of these two groups of migrants. We focus on Ukrainians and Vietnamese for two reasons: they are the largest groups of migrants, and they are the most distinct from each other in terms of culture and distance from origin. Looking at the familial situation of the migrants, we find that the Ukrainians are largely women who are married to Polish citizens, and that their migration to, and settlement in Poland are the outcome of family formation. In contrast, the Vietnamese, who are mostly men, bring their families from Vietnam. There are sharp differences between the two groups with regard to modes of employment and strategies of adaptation. The Ukrainians are largely employees working for others. Because of cultural proximity and Polish partners, they (easily) acquire the Polish culture and forge close links with Poles. The Vietnamese in turn are largely self-employed. While trying somewhat to establish social relationships with Poles, they tend to preserve strong links with Vietnamese co-migrants, and to maintain and cultivate their Vietnamese identity. With regard to settlement preferences, both the Ukrainians and the Vietnamese seek to settle in the large cities of the Mazowsze, Dolny Slask, and Małopolska regions.