Immigration Law in Kingdom of Poland in Paskievich epoch

Accordingly with principles of the Russian imperial governor in the Kingdom of Poland formal instructions dated March 2nd, August 10th and October 28th of 1816, as well as these of May 3rd of 1817, foreigners (the craftsmen, manufacturers and farmers) could formally arrive in the Kingdom of Poland "for the purpose of settlement”. These principles were also in force in the period beginning after fall of November uprising of 1830 - 1831.

However, the first person focusing on the need of renewing study of immigration/emigration laws was Roman Fuhrmann. He was the Director General presiding in Polish Government Committee of Treasury and Finances (Ministry of Finances). On the 23rd of November 1832, during the session of Administrative Council, minister Roman Fuhrmann presented the applications written by citizens of several different German states, desirous to settle down in the Kingdom of Poland. The minister proposed then deliberation as well as new qualification of principles of reception of foreigners in Poland. In the same time Fuhrmann proposed the public performance of advantages that could happen to foreigners inflowing to Poland. Finally the formal project of the new law was also prepared by minister of Government Committee of Treasury and Finances. On the 23rd of November of 1832 Roman Fuhrmann folded it to opinion of the government of Kingdom of Poland. As a result, the Administrative Committee decided to send this project to the Government Committee of Domestic, Spiritual and Public Educational Affairs. The newly introduced law was to be finally evaluated in the above mentioned ministry.

In the end, on the 10th of June 1833 Administrative Committee accepted new project of law, according to which foreign manufacturers, worker and farmers could flow into the Kingdom of Poland. Then, on its session of the 5th of November 1833, Polish government focused its attention on inconvenience resulting from inadequate interpretation of article 4 of immigration law of the 10th of June 1833. (In this article stated originally that the arriving to Poland immigrants/colonists firstly had to direct themselves to the capital - Warsaw. There they had to present themselves in the in offices of the Government Committee of Domestic, Spiritual and Public Educational Affairs). As a consequence of performed deliberation, Administrative Committee affirmed that for the immigrants there did not exist an absolute necessity to show themselves in ministerial offices personally.

The Government ordered also that since then (i. e. starting with the 5th of November 1833) it required only one person - representing "a dozen or so families ” - to appear in Warsaw’s ministry personally. Additionally, as an answer to considerable increase of emigration movement, on the 13th of December 1833 Administrative Committee gave new orders relating to inflowing into the Kingdom of Poland foreign craftsmen and journeymen. In this decree Polish government specified administrative regulations concerning foreign craftsmen. Also the Government Committee of Domestic Spiritual and Public Educational Affairs addressed similar decree on the 10th of January 1834.

In spite of above described introduction of new legal conditions of settlements, initially the migration movement to Poland was in the first years after the fall of November Uprising of 1830 - 1831 comparatively small. For example, in 1834 only 419 persons emigrated to the Kingdom of Poland from abroad. In majority these were colonists - farmers. Taking into account this unfortunate circumstances, the government of the Kingdom still and even more then previously formally supported the foreign craftsmen inflow into Poland in second half of thirties of XIXth century.

One of new solutions and facilitations introduced in these times, initially encouraging the arrival of foreign craftsmen to the Kingdom of Poland, was formal describing of suitable "explanations”. These explanations were to be given by special immigrant agents (Russian imperial officials) serving in tsarist diplomatic branch offices and embassies across Europe. Indicated explanations concerned the conditions of existence in Poland; they also concerned formal conditions, indispensable to obtain entrance agreement to the Polish Kingdom.

It is also needed to add that already during settlement in Poland, the foreign craftsmen got in the same time assured and firm help from the side of government itself. This support depended however on several conditions. It concerned mostly supervising of keeping by private owners the contract specifications, undertaken guarantees and promised "conveniences”, that all were granted to foreign immigrants. As it can be easily seen from described situation, the newly changed articles of immigrant law introduced in the Kingdom of Poland after the fall of November uprising at first sight might in many ways and aspects be seen as profitable to the immigrating foreigners, although it did not in practice generally increase the inflow of immigrants to Poland.