“Two words: I’m Secure and Safe” Employment precarity throughout the life trajectories of Polish migrants in the Netherlands

Abstract

Many Polish migrants move to the Netherlands hoping for a better income or more work opportunities. As newcomers in the country they are often drawn to employment agencies for relatively easy and quick access to work and accommodation. This also suits the plan they often initially have to stay temporarily. However, many end up staying longer than intended, and it is mainly with these agencies that they often face feelings of insecurity, unreliability and overall dissatisfaction. Stability in employment emerges as a crucial factor in Polish migrants’ life trajectories, providing a sense of security and achievement. Through qualitative ethnographic research, this study examines how temporary and unstable employment affects the personal perspectives, social lives and future aspirations of Polish migrants. The concept of precarity serves as a theoretical framework, with a focus on its implications for the life trajectories of the migrants and its subjective aspects. The research takes a retrospective approach, looking back on the experiences of migrants that arrived in the Netherlands roughly between 2007 and 2015.