The unending debate about immigration in the UK has seen a new twist in the past five years. When the country ‘opened its borders’ to the EU, it faced a deluge of Eastern European workers coming to its shores in the hope of better living conditions and plentiful job prospects.

Recent media coverage has focused on the British public’s ostensibly paranoid reaction to these new residents. Do we want them here or not? Are they taking all our jobs? Or are they just revealing the extent to which the benefit culture has spread in Britain?

These questions and others have been banded back and forth in recent months with increased fervour. It looks like the Poles, who represent the biggest proportion of Eastern European migrants in the UK, are here to stay.

But the views which have most often been neglected or difficult to tap into have been those of the Polish immigrants themselves. What a lot of Britons fail to realise is that a magical aura surrounding Britain spread to Poland during the 2006-onwards immigration boom. The early Poles told stories of buying cars and big houses, and sent home cold hard cash to prove it. And as word spread of the opportunity – and indeed ease – of working in Britain, the Poles quickly jumped on their own bandwagon.

But there was often no Holy Grail in Albion after all. Poles who wanted to come here were often exploited by employment agencies, and when they arrived they were greeted with an unexpected sense of loss and terrible living conditions. Then there was the work itself. Often paid less than the minimum wage, and frequently expected to do a greater proportion of work than other employees, many Poles realised they had received a raw deal.

Now we are faced with a new concern. Before the debate over immigration has even reached its peak, we are beginning to wonder why some Poles are leaving the UK, and quickly putting a check on the boom which brought so many of them here in the first place.

A disgruntled House of Lords committee recently published a report looking into the economic impact of immigration in the UK. As well as grumbling about the lack of net benefits to the British economy, the committee picked up on a characteristic of the latest wave of immigrants: most of them never planned to stay or integrate into the British community.

The improved Polish economy and an exchange rate favouring the value of the zloty has started to pull Poles back, and the realization that the dream of working in the UK is a double-edged sword has begun to set in.

Krzsztof Tomkowski, Grounds Manager for the Polish Association in Slough, had an all-too-familiar initial experience: “It was difficult to make a living in Poland. The earnings were poor and back then the prognosis for our economy didn’t look good.

“I got here through an agency. I paid 1500 zt. for them to provide transport and find me work and accommodation in this country. They organized transport, yes, but nothing else. When I got here I didn’t know what to do.

“After two weeks I was offered illegal work. There was no formal registration and they paid less than £3 per hour – cash in hand. They effectively told me to work non-stop, for 12 hours each day, for £30.”

After a series of trying to get legal employment through different English agencies, and a string of jobs including working at Heathrow Airport and on building sites, Krzysztof found a job with the Polish Association in Slough.

His new employer, Edward Jasnikowski, commented, “We took him on in January and he’s been an absolute gem. He can drive tractors, service engines and do a range of maintenance work on our buildings. Things have worked out well now, but his initial experiences were rather upsetting.”

Mr Jasnikowski, a British citizen, has watched as Slough became home to an estimated 10,000 Polish immigrants.

“The English community has been particularly accommodating in Slough. They were a little slow to accept the new arrivals, but more recently there has been a positive atmosphere.

“Of course, I’ve heard a whole host of stories about Polish workers being exploited. I was involved with a local committee which tried to tackle the problem. Polish people would respond to advertisements in Poland offering work in the UK. They would be picked up by a car in England, their passport and a deposit would be taken and then they’d be left at a house with other Poles. After a few weeks they could be out on the streets.”

Mr Jasnikowski says that the trend of Poles returning home is becoming visible.

“Poland has been making an effort to entice its workforces back. The Poles who have been exploited are most likely to return sooner rather than later.” Krzysztof has said that he has no concrete plans to return, but he was considering it when things weren’t looking so promising.

“It’s also harder to get jobs now. The agencies exploiting immigrants are being disciplined and Poland’s improved economy has been a big factor in attracting Polish workers back to their home country. The advantages of working in the UK are less obvious than they seemed to be before, and when faced with a choice between those advantages and going back to their families, a lot of Poles are starting to choose the latter.”

It’s clear, then, that there are reasons for and signs of Polish workers returning home. This looks set to be the next subject of the immigration debate. As soon as Britons realise that the Poles are going home, attitudes to Poles’ influence on the British economy will change.

There is a flip side to the coin. Some Poles are settling in the UK, and integrating with British communities, like Krzysztof Tomkowski. Monika, who works for a chain of Polish convenience shops in England, spoke to me about her plans to remain in this country for the foreseeable future.

“I work in the administrative department of a chain of Polish shops. At this moment in time, I’m happy here. My situation is slightly different because I’m a single parent and I’m bringing my children up in the UK. From my point of view, it’s easier to live and work here. I came just before the Polish immigration boom, in 2004 and I’ve enjoyed living here because of the provision of social services which aren’t available to single parents in Poland.

“I’m more secure here and more independent than I would be at home. A lot of younger Poles have come over and are going back now. Living here isn’t how they imagined. Polish people are expected to do more than others. I have a friend who works for a transit company in Wolverhampton. His employer expects him to drive the vehicles like the other employees, but also to clean the vehicles and the garages after everyone else goes home. He gets the same wage as they do, however.

“Unlike a lot of the Polish workers here, I’ve been able to take a language course and I can speak English quite well now. Many Poles don’t integrate with the English, they find it very difficult to socialise with them especially. I haven’t found the same problems, though. I have a lot of English friends; I can joke with them, we go out together and get on well.

“I can’t see myself going back soon. It will take too long for the services and situation in Poland to change enough to suit me. Also, I don’t want to move again while my children are growing up – it’s unfair on them. Here they’ve got their education, I have a home, a job and friends – there’s no reason for me to go back.”

Before the immigration debate goes any further, perhaps greater attention should be paid to the real situations of the Polish people. Understanding who these people are, and why each of them has decided to come here is the key to knowing what effects they’ll really have on British economy, culture and society.