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Brain Drain and Inequality Across Nations

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Author Info
Frédéric Docquier () (FNRS, IRES, Université Catholique de Louvain and IZA Bonn)

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Abstract

Is the brain drain a curse or a boon for developing countries? This paper reviews what is known to date about the magnitude of the brain drain from developing to developed countries, its determinants and the way it affects the well-being of those left behind. First, I present alternative measures of the brain drain and characterize its evolution over the last 25 years. Then, I review the theoretical and empirical literature. Although the brain drain is a major source of concern for origin countries, it also induces positive effects through various channels such as remittances, return migration, diaspora externalities, quality of governance and increasing return to education. Whilst many scientists and international institutions praise the unambiguous benefits of unskilled migration for developing countries, my analysis suggests that a limited but positive skilled emigration rate (say between 5 and 10 percent) can also be good for development. Nevertheless, the current spatial distribution of the brain drain is such that many poor countries are well above this level, such as sub-Saharan African and Central American countries.

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Paper provided by Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in its series IZA Discussion Papers with number 2440.

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Length: 40 pages
Date of creation: Nov 2006
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Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp2440

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Related research
Keywords: brain drain; international migration; human capital; economic development;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, and Vacancies - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers

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Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
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Cited by:
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  1. Weiss, Volkmar, 2009. "National IQ Means Transformed from Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) Scores, and their Underlying Gene Frequencies," MPRA Paper 14600, University Library of Munich, Germany. [Downloadable!]
  2. Etzo, Ivan, 2008. "Internal migration and growth in Italy," MPRA Paper 8642, University Library of Munich, Germany. [Downloadable!]
  3. Etzo, Ivan, 2008. "Internal migration: a review of the literature," MPRA Paper 8783, University Library of Munich, Germany. [Downloadable!]
  4. Daniela Marconi, 2007. "Endogenous growth and trade liberalization between asymmetric countries," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 630, Bank of Italy, Economic Research Department. [Downloadable!]
  5. Ziesemer, Thomas, 2008. "Worker remittances, migration, accumulation and growth in poor developing countries," UNU-MERIT Working Paper Series 063, United Nations University, Maastricht Economic and social Research and training centre on Innovation and Technology. [Downloadable!]
  6. Belot, Michèle & Hatton, Timothy J., 2008. "Immigrant Selection in The OECD," CEPR Discussion Papers 6675, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  7. Luca Marchiori & Patrice Pieretti & Benteng Zou, 2008. "Migration and human capital in an endogenous fertility model," Working Papers 409, Bielefeld University, Institute of Mathematical Economics. [Downloadable!]
  8. Nil Demet Güngör & Aysit Tansel, 2007. "Brain Drain from Turkey: The Case of Professionals Abroad," IZA Discussion Papers 2617, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  9. Luca Marchiori & Patrice Pieretti & Benteng Zou, 2008. "Brain drain, remittances, and fertility model," Working Papers 408, Bielefeld University, Institute of Mathematical Economics. [Downloadable!]
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