More and more Poles are looking for seasonal employment abroad. Poles have a reputation for being conscientious, industrious, efficient and cheerful workers. The number of seasonal workers increases significantly in summer when they are employed in agriculture and catering.
The majority of Polish seasonal workers regularly go to Germany. Typical jobs include picking asparagus, apples and tomatoes.German employers also hire skilled builders, baby-sitters, mechanics and shop-assistants. In Italy, most Poles work on the citrus-fruit plantations, while others are usually employed as cooks, waiters or industrial workers. In France, Polish people pick grapes, in Spain- strawberries, and in Sweden-bilberries.
Many employment agencies in Poland get thousands of offers from foreign companies looking for bakers, confectioners, butchers, roofers, welders, foresters and psysiotherapists. The Norwegians are ready to take on hundreds of fishermen, sailors, shipyard workers and electricians. The Dutch seek nurses and gardeners, and the Swiss- farm-hands. Although the British are rather reluctant to employ foreigners, they do hire barmen, receptionists, chambermaids and cooks for the hotels and restaurants on Jersey.
The seasonal worker `elite' are experts in computer science and telecommunications. Computer programmers can easily find employment in Ireland, Germany and Holland. Ireland also needs architects and construction engineers. Scandinavian countries offer job contracts to doctors, dentists and nurses.
Although the unemployment rate in Europe is high and amounts to 14 million, many countries suffer from a labour shortage in some trades. Generally, two types of employee are sought:the qualified specialist who has a good command of foreign languages or the unskilled or semi-skilled manual labourer for simple, agricultural, building and catering jobs.
Let's hope, however, that the economic situation in Poland improves and that salaries will reach European levels.

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