From lack of awareness to meticulous action. Strategies toward old-age pension insurance among Polish migrant domestic workers in Germany

A significant proportion of migrant workers around the world have difficult access to social protection, especially long-term benefits such as pensions. Domestic care workers are a particularly vulnerable group in this regard. Analysing the example of Polish migration to Germany, the aim of this paper is to present the strategies that migrants aged 45 and over undertake in the context of pension plans and ensuring an adequate level of social protection while working abroad. Using empirical material collected during semi-structured interviews with migrant care workers, representatives of employment agencies and experts, the article sheds light on the diverse conditions that influence the strategies of individual workers. Depending on the general knowledge of their social rights, their migration strategy or their personal situation, migrants adopt three main strategies called (1) escape from problems instead of social security, (2) secure and legal work above all and (3) an informed and inquisitive insured worker