WARSAW, Poland - About 3.2 million Poles between 15 and 64 say they are ready to leave the country to search for better-paying jobs abroad, a report said Tuesday.

A public opinion poll indicated 12 percent want to leave the country within a year, the Polish daily Rzeczpospolita of Warsaw reported Tuesday.

However, the newspaper said many people likely won't leave, likely finding a job within the next 12 months, Polish Radio said.

The public poll, conducted by the IMAS international institute for Rzeczpospolita, said more than 370,000 Poles left the country in search of better pay in 2006.

With a population of 38.5 million, Poland has 2.3 million unemployed.

Poland joined the European Union in 2004, and thousands of Poles left the country and settled in Britain, Ireland and Sweden where they get much higher salaries.

Copyright ©  2007, by United Press International. All Rights Reserved.