Transnational mobility and family planning decisions : a case study of skilled Polish migrant women

The aim of this paper is to explore the tension between the transnational mobility of skilled women migrants and their rootedness in place when it comes to childrearing. On the basis of my research on skilled Polish migrants in the United Kingdom, I investigate if and how family planning decisions influence their international migration trajectories. The paper suggests ways in which to improve existing migration and labor market policies in order to encourage migrant women’s labor market participation. It also fills in the gap in migration literature concerning the interaction between the productive and reproductive spheres. My findings suggest that the comparative advantages and disadvantages of having children in Poland versus in the UK are important factors influencing the mobility of skilled migrant women.. A primary consideration pulling these women back to Poland is the availability of childcare help from the family. The UK, on the other hand, is an attractive location because of the child-friendly provisions offered by most employers. Emotional attachment to home and family tends to tip the scales towards returning to Poland. The reproductive choices made by skilled migrant women, frequently on the basis of emotional and not ‘rational’ calculations, are directly linked to the free movement of people in the European Union Market to