ARTYKUŁ
The Return of Selective Young Adult Migration: Post-Brexit Reversal of Poland’s EU Accession
Migration Trends
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1
Kozminski University, Poland
2
Institute of Social Sciences, SWPS University, Poland
3
Szkoła Doktorska, Szkoła Główna Handlowa, Polska
4
Doctoral School, SWPS University, Poland
These authors had equal contribution to this work
Submission date: 2025-01-09
Final revision date: 2025-07-11
Acceptance date: 2025-07-30
Online publication date: 2025-10-06
KEYWORDS
JEL CLASSIFICATION CODES
ABSTRACT
This article explores how Brexit has reversed migration trends shaped by Poland’s 2004 EU accession, focusing on young
adults aged 19–34. Using data from the Polish Labour Force Survey (2015–2019) and the Migrant Selectivity Index (MSI), it
traces shifts in the socio-demographic profiles of Polish migrants. Key findings include a masculinisation of migration flows,
a decline in tertiary-educated migrants, and growing mobility among individuals with intermediate education from ru
ral areas—patterns resembling pre-accession dynamics. These changes reflect labour market realignments, with Germany surpassing the UK as the top destination. The study argues that Brexit not only disrupted post-accession migration but reactivated older selectivity mechanisms, reshaping human capital flows within the EU. By quantifying selectivity, it offers new insights into how geopolitical shifts affect labour mobility, regional development, and transnational skill distribution.
FUNDING
This study was funded by Narodowe Centrum Nauki [2017/27/L/HS6/03261] – data
collection and by Narodowe Centrum Nauki [2020/37/B/HS6/02342] – data reanalysis.