“I’m not leaving anywhere. I’m content here and this is where I belong.”
Ewa Gluza arrived in Britain UK during August of 2003. It was a year prior to when Poland became a member of in the European Union. Even now, with Britain being a member of the EU She has no plans of returning.
“Immediately following the Brexit decision, I thought”Oh my god they aren’t interested in us any more’. I recall working and being greeted by people saying ‘We want you to stay'” she says.
Now at 47, Ewa is chair of the Oxford Polish Association (OPA) and an account clerk in Oxford’s Hertford College and she also has her own bookkeeping company with a majority of Polacy UK freelance clients.
Around 10% of her Polish clients in bookkeeping have moved back to their homes since Brexit such as health workers, cleaners, and construction workers.
“Of course, plenty of people are returning to their homes. One reason could be Brexit however another reason is the need to look after parents for, and then of course certain people – particularly labourers were laid off in the outbreak. A few people went back to check what was happening in Poland and found that it to be quite good,” she told Euronews.
“No reason to stay”
The last few years following the UK has voted to leave the EU have seen a lot of EU citizens returning to their homelands which was that was accelerated by the coronavirus epidemic. Recent figures indicate that many more people have left than were arriving in 2020, which is an increase of nearly 40% over the year before.
Polish people, the largest group in the nation -is not an exception. Statistics from the government suggest that the population of the UK has fallen from nearly 1 million people in 2017, to just 738,000 in 2020.
However, some are skeptical about the accuracy of these figures. “These figures are also strange considering that in the past that the Home Office has had 1.1 million applications to the EU Settlement Scheme from Poles,” says Polish journalist Jakub Krupa.
The reality that so many people are seeking to remain in the UK isn’t surprising considering how deeply rooted they are within their communities. Ewa Gluza said that the moment Poland entered the EU in 2004, the OPA created the Polish school that had around 20 students. It is now home to 250 students and the waiting list.
“We established (the OPA) to try to be part of the community in the UK, but not to be out in the cold. We wanted to share our culture, but also help people learn what it is like to be in UK and we offer afternoon teas , Christmas dinners and even Christmas teas. There are families who have difficulty with language barriers and also watch Polish TV but it’s extremely rare in the UK today.
“Most families in the UK are now deciding there’s no reason for them to leave. Sometimes their kids don’t wish to leave.”
Unsettled status
However, staying in Britain following Brexit hasn’t been easy. While the divorce agreement granted the right to stay, EU citizens have had to apply for residency through Britain’s EU Settlement Scheme.
Krzysia Balinska who is the coordinator of Polish Migrants Organize to Make a Difference (POMOC) she says that the challenges many have faced have played a major role in their decision to quit the UK and return back home.
“A crucial issue facing the Polish citizens following Brexit is the lack of clarity regarding how to use the EU Settlement Scheme. People who have received Settlement Status through the Home Office are facing difficulties which were not there prior to Brexit. When applying for job opportunities, applying for an mortgage or health care , they are required to show proof of their immigration status,” she told Euronews in an email reply.
The lack of tangible document to prove residency statusit is only accessible electronically — has caused the problem, Balinska says. This has caused problems for border crossings in particular when they are traveling with a different passport than the one that is listed in their digital records and resulted in people being denied entry or even being sent to detention centers.
“There are a lot of individuals who didn’t apply for the scheme at time due to the fact that the government was unable to provide them with suitable information for their culture and language,” she explained, noting that some were forced to leave due to different administrative issues, or due to personal reasons.
Troubles with business
For a few Poles If Brexit was causing them to think about what they want to do in the near future, COVID-19 set the decision for them. Krzystof Dworny, who is 51 operates a minicab business in London He has lived there in the UK for the past 15 years. He said to Euronews that many Polish-owned businesses have been forced to close down.
“I barely made it through, but just because I was under an agreement with one major Polish company. In COVID, the entire tourism industry fell apart and they’re taking advantage of people to conduct PCR tests. If this goes on for too long the tourism industry will not be able to be able to recover.” the official said.
The business of Krzystof is further complicated by the strict immigration rules of the post-Brexit UK policy. The shortage of workers is affecting the sector as well but in the context of the weak state of EU-UK relations the businessman is not optimistic of the government expanding visa programmes to allow Poles as well as other Europeans to return to the country.
“They will ask for assistance, and they will send drivers and other workers from Philippines, Indonesia, Pakistan and many more,” he said. “Now they require help as they’re drowning. When they do receive assistance, they’ll thank for it as they do always”Go out of this nation’.”
The massive inflow of EU workers to Britain was among the main reasons why people voted to leave the EU. It’s ironic that certain areas are finding gone Poles difficult to replace.
“There’s an extreme shortage of builders right now. I receive phone calls from construction companies nearly every day, asking to contact me (for contacts) since they’re unable to locate anyone. They are also required to pay more. This will continue due to the costly visa process.” states Ewa Gluza, a student at Oxford.
She believes that the UK’s offer of visas to HGV drivers this winter must be extended to include other industries.
Welcoming or not?
Another aspect that has been cited in the exile of Poles from Britain is the very essence of Brexit itself which is that it is because the UK has ceased to be a member in the EU.
“Those who left due to Brexit did not want the limitations imposed because they were not part of in the European Union. It was either time to return home, where there was a chance, or find an opportunity in Europe with more respect for workers,” Krzystof Dworny says.
It’s obvious that the warm reception and level of acceptance Ewa Gluza has received is not shared by everyone.
The phrase that her Oxford colleagues used following the Brexit decision -“We would like you to remain” — was famously said by then the Prime Premier Theresa May, as the rights of EU citizens who reside within the UK were challenged following the referendum.
As Home Secretary (interior minister), May herself had been the one to initiate the policy that is blamed by many for creating an attitude of hostility toward immigrants. Krzysia Balinska, the president of POMOC believes this applies to Poles who live in Britain currently.
“Government is not sending inclusive messages to EU citizens, which leads to an more discrimination at the workplace and in other public spaces. It’s one of many aspects of the hostile atmosphere that British institutions create for all immigrants.”
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