The ‘Vicious Circle’ of Migrant Integration Policymaking at the Regional Level: Evidence From Poland

Abstract

In Poland, migration governance has lately been shaped by large‐scale Ukrainian immigration: initially, through pre‐war migration, and subsequently through forced displacement following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. This paper examines the evolution of migrant integration efforts at both the national and sub‐national levels in Poland. While existing scholarship has largely emphasised the ‘local turn’—that is, the growing role of municipalities in migrant integration—this study highlights the often‐overlooked regional level within a multi‐level governance framework. Drawing on a mixed‐method approach and focusing on two regions (Lodz and Silesia), it analyses how humanitarian responses to refugee inflows evolved into broader integration policies. It shows that once refugee inflows stabilised, sub‐national authorities' expectations regarding responsibility for integration policy shifted back towards national authorities. This dynamic illustrates a ‘vicious circle’ of migrant integration policymaking, marked by shifts from centralised governance to decoupling, and then back again. The uneven pace and divergent strategies across Polish regions reveal how weak coordination generates inconsistencies in migrant support, potentially undermining their effective integration.