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Agata Górny, Marta Kindler, Ewa Jaźwińska. 2025.

‘Shades’ of migrant occupational mobility and the role of social networks. Ukrainians in the Polish labour market: the case of Warsaw

 

Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies

Górny, A., Kindler, M., & Jaźwińska, E. (2025). ‘Shades’ of migrant occupational mobility and the role of social networks. Ukrainians in the Polish labour market: the case of Warsaw. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2025.2451259


Abstract

The article examines the role of social networks in migrants’ labour market outcomes addressing both horizontal and vertical occupational mobility using data from the survey (N = 509) and qualitative interviews (N = 23) concerning Ukrainian migrants to Poland in the late 2010s. Importantly, it considers not only long-term migrants, but also temporary and circular migrants. Occupational mobility is studied via lens of the framework of migration-related (temporal mobility patterns and declared migratory plans) and work-related (quality of a job) aspirations and capabilities focusing on social networks as a crucial element of migrants’ capabilities. In general, migrants with a larger social network and more diversified weak ties are more occupationally mobile. However, strong ties to both co-ethnics and natives are important for creating opportunities for migrants to find satisfactory jobs matching their aspirations and skills. Moreover, the strength of ties is a dynamic dimension of social networks which challenges the dichotomy of strong and weak ties. Importantly, the mechanisms observed vary according to migration-related aspirations and two types of migrants’ work-related aspirations for occupational mobility: seeking a job that meets their needs (a quality job), and professional advancement (a skills-job match).
 

Keywords

occupational mobility, diversity of social networks, strength of ties, temporal mobility patterns, Ukrainian migration

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