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The wage structure of Polish workers in Germany

Stephan Brunow et al.

International Labour Review2026https://doi.org/10.16995/ilr.23812article
AJG 2ABDC B
Weight
0.50

Abstract

Germany has historically received a substantial inflow of immigrants from Poland. Polish workers are the second-largest foreign employment group in Germany and contribute substantially to the German economy. In this article, we draw on a large administrative dataset to analyse the wage structure of Polish employees and consider a wide range of factors, including individual and firm characteristics, labour market performance measures and potential network effects. We also account for spatial selectivity, distinguishing between urban, semi-urban and peripheral regions. We conclude that, when compared with Poland, Germany remains attractive to Polish workers – particularly to those who are lower-skilled. Polish employees earn less than their German counterparts, suggesting that wage increases may be a potential means of retaining Polish workers in Germany. Network-related characteristics indicate competition effects among Polish workers.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.16995/ilr.23812

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@article{stephan2026,
  title        = {{The wage structure of Polish workers in Germany}},
  author       = {Stephan Brunow et al.},
  journal      = {International Labour Review},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.16995/ilr.23812},
}

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The wage structure of Polish workers in Germany

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

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