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Emigrate or not to emigrate?One of the main differences between young Czechs and Poles is their attitude
towards emigration. Among the former, the percentage of people who decided to
leave their country is much lower than the latter. According to last year’s Eurostat
study, out of all EU states Poland has the second highest number of citizens living
in another EU member state. In the same poll, Czechs were ranked 20th, close to
Austria and the Scandinavian countries.
The Generation What project is also a great source of information on millen-
nials. It is a survey instrument which asked close to a million young Europeans
(between the ages of 18 and 30) to answer a series of questions. The purpose of the
project was to create a broad portrait of the generation. In relation to the possibil-
ity of living abroad, 46 per cent of Czech millennials
said they would consider it in future and only 15 per
cent were prepared to leave immediately. In Poland,
44 per cent of millennials would consider living abroad
in the future and around a third are willing to leave
straightaway. In comparison, among those surveyed
in Germany and Belgium, around half said maybe in
the future” and just over 10 per cent are interested in
emigrating immediately.
Czechs who decide to emigrate usually choose Germany as their destination,
although many young Czechs also opt for more exotic locations. The latter are
more interested in adventure than finding a stable place to live. Young Poles, by
contrast, head to countries where opportunities to earn money are the best – to
Germany, the United Kingdom or the Netherlands. Recently, the Czech Republic
has also become a popular destination for Poles, which may be connected to fears
of terrorist attacks in Western Europe.
Does the fact that Czech millennials decide to emigrate less mean their economic
situation and perspectives are better than those of Polish millennials? In the 2016
Human Development Index, which assesses the general national wellbeing, the
Czech Republic was ranked 28th while Poland was eight places lower. Nevertheless,
young Czechs and Poles living in large urban areas face similar problems such as
housing. An OECD report from last year compared the housing situation of Euro-
peans between the ages of 18 and 25 and found that 70.2 per cent of young Czechs
and 68.2 per cent of young Poles decide to live with their parents (largely because
rent is too expensive or scarce). The ranking is headed by young Italians, Slovenians
and Greeks, while the Danes, Swedes and Norwegians are the least likely to stay
at home with their parents. Those Czechs who decide to live independently oftenOne of the main
differences between
young Czechs
and Poles is their
attitude towards
emigration.Poles and Czechs across generations Millennials versus statistics, Kinga Motyka