Project 7a
International Comparisons of Mobility of the Highly Skilled

Summary
Although the movement of educated and skilled people is not new, it has taken on much greater importance in recent years, as developed countries have shifted towards a much more skills-based emphasis in their immigration policies, and the countries of origin of these skilled people are increasingly found in the developing world. Increasingly proactive immigration policies of the developed world in recruiting skilled professionals may have a significant impact on the skill levels of labour forces in developing countries and, ultimately, on their capacity to improve the quality of life of their citizens. However, although there has been much recent concern about ‘brain drain’, there are some who argue that the movement of the skilled is an integral part of globalization and that the free flow of labour is ultimately beneficial to both origin and destination countries.

This project aims to explore the causes and consequences of the movement of the highly skilled, through analysis of data on such mobility across a range of countries. Special tabulations from the 1990/91 and 2000/01 round of censuses for the US, UK, Australia and Canada will be sought in order to give information on migrants by skill category, year of arrival, and the basic demographic characteristics of age and sex, focusing on movement from Ghana, Bangladesh, Albania and Egypt, as well as China, Nigeria, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Kenya and Somalia. Immigration records to the principal destination countries will also be examined, with particular attention being paid to those entering under temporary entry categories. Available data in the selected countries of origin will also be identified and analysed.

Key Research Questions

	What is the extent of migration of the highly-skilled? Is this a growing or declining phenomenon? Which sectors are most affected?
	At a macro-level, what has changed in terms of demand for skilled personnel both in source country and in potential destinations?
	Are some countries more affected by highly-skilled migration than others? Are poorer countries more affected? Are smaller countries more affected?
	What are the policy options available?