Why do foreigners go to Poland to work with their friends?
Most foreigners who go to work in Poland try to go with friends, relatives or acquaintances, and this is understandable. In the wake of embryonic migration, many people are coming to Poland for the first time. Those who started going to Poland back in the 90s or late noughties usually go alone and for seasonal work. Those who are traveling to a foreign country for the first time travel with friends and acquaintances.
People prefer to stick together and help each other in difficult situations. If you do not come to work alone, you feel more confident at work and in the street in everyday life. In addition, such a scheme helps you survive the first weeks when you have not yet received your first salary and have little money with you.
Not only foreign workers try to travel to Poland to work together. Most Poles who have gone to work in the UK in the past have also tried to go with a friend or acquaintance.
If an employer or agency wants to deceive an employee, it is not so easy to do so with the support of their compatriots, especially if there is one of them who speaks Polish well. He or she will read the contract and tell you what the declared hourly wage is, and if anything, he or she can threaten to go to the police, prosecutor’s office, or labor inspectorate, which will be not just one statement, but several, which radically changes the situation. By traveling to work in a group, foreigners insure themselves against trouble, help each other morally and financially, and feel more confident.
It is becoming more and more common for third-country nationals bordering Poland to drive to work in Poland. To do this, you only need to buy insurance, the so-called “green card” for a certain period, and thus you can drive to and from work in Poland. This option is especially beneficial if you have several people. Such a trip is much more convenient and cheaper than using public transportation. The only disadvantage of traveling to Poland by car is a long border crossing compared to traveling by bus. But despite the fact that you will have to wait in line, perhaps even for 12 hours, your car offers many advantages – first, you already have a temporary roof over your head. You are mobile and can quickly change your place of work, even if you have a lot of luggage and even if your job is on the other side of Poland. And if you also have your loyal friends with you, then filling up a full tank together will make you feel not only confident while working in Poland, but also almost like you are at home.
