Austria and Germany are the last EU states to open their labour markets to citizens of newer members of the 27-nation bloc.

The lifting of barriers to labour market access is seen as a great chance for professional specialists, but will also be a challenge for entrepreneurs, remarks Danuta Hubner, a Polish MEP and former European Commissioner for Regional Policy.

Hubner underlines that the demand for qualified workers in Germany or Austria may pose problems for Polish enterprises, where the demand for specialists is on the rise.

“Polish enterprises also need qualified specialists, the level of unemployment in Poland is high, but many unemployed will not undertake jobs anymore,” Danuta Hubner told Polish Radio.

“The labour force reserves in [Poland] are too small, and if we take into account the developing economy, we need more ambitious dynamics than 4 percent GDP annually. Therefore Poland demands a reserve of specialists and qualified workers who will find job opportunities in enterprises in this country,” Hubner continued.

The opening of the German and Austrian labour market may see a wave of migration of Polish specialists, who will be offered much higher wages and better living conditions.

Experts estimate, however, that the exodus will be hampered by a language barrier, as job offers for qualified specialists assume a fluent knowledge of German, which is not the most often learnt foreign language in Poland. (ab/jb)