Keywords
overseas work
recruitment agencies
imaginaries
better life
Philippines
How to Cite
Abstract
The migration of Filipinos to Poland is arranged mainly through recruitment agencies and is mainly undertaken for contract work. This is a result of Poland emerging as an attractive migration destination country in the recent years, and of the participation of Poland in the global job placement market. The aim of this article is to discuss the way Filipino migrants envision work abroad, and how this imaginary matches the reality of working in Poland. Analyzing migrant narratives and practices, we will show how Filipino workers fare in migration. We claim that the case of the Philippines is an especially telling example when it comes to the positive vision of working abroad. These imaginaries are shaped by the stories told by other migrants, an intergenerational pattern of migrating overseas, media coverage, as well as the narratives of the recruitment agencies. The positive imaginary of working in Poland is also a result of earlier migration experiences. Even if working abroad requires the lowering of one’s social position, it still is seen as meaningful, because it is supposed to bring a “better life” in the future. The article is a result of long-term research done by both authors over the last years. Supporting data was gathered during a joint fieldwork trip in February 2024.
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