'Regression analyses suggest that the relative poverty story does well, outperforming a simple model in which income itself accounts for the differences in migration proclivities across income groups. The relative poverty model accounts for the variation in migration both across and within Polish regions.
The first issue that is explored in this study is the relationship between relative poverty and migration. The paper draws upon Polish regional data and upon a unique data set of Polish seasonal workers in Germany.

The second issue that is delved into is the relationship between migration and human capital formation. In particular, the study seeks to estimate whether the Polish “brain drain” is accompanied by a “brain gain.”

Using cross-section data on 49 Polish regions, the paper shows that the possibility of a beneficial “brain gain” can be rejected on the base of the available data.

This study is the first attempt to investigate the relationship between migration and relative poverty as well as the relationship between migration and human capital formation in the transition context.'