The debate among scientists from varying disciplines regarding the social and economic consequences of international migration remains lively. The enlargement of the European Union, for example, has given millions of Europeans the opportunity to migrate, which has subsequently provided the motivation for European researchers to investigate this phenomenon.

Many recent studies have investigated the impact of immigration on the economic situation in the receiving country. However, the literature regarding the impact of emigration on sending countries remains sparse. Apart from some research conducted in the American context (i.e. Aydemir, Borjas, Hanson, Mishra) which shows a significant relationship between emigration rates and wage growth rates in sending countries, little research has been undertaken on this issue.

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between emigration and real wage growth in the European context, based on emigration from Poland after its accession to the European Union.