Brain drain or brain gain? Effects of high-skilled international emigration on origin countries

• 成果类型: Review
• 署名作者: Batista, Catia; Han, Daniel; Haushofer, Johannes; Khanna, Gaurav; McKenzie, David; Mobarak, Ahmed Mushfiq; Theoharides, Caroline; Yang, Dean
• 署名单位: Universidade Nova de Lisboa; Boston University; Cornell University; Cornell University; University of California System; University of California San Diego; The World Bank; Yale University; Deakin University; Amherst College; University of Michigan System; University of Michigan; University of Michigan System; University of Michigan
• 刊物名称: SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0036-10513
• DOI: 10.1126/science.adr8861
• 发表日期: 2025-05-22
• 关键词: return migrants; migration; networks; remittances; HOME; diffusion; DEMOCRACY; impacts; NORMS

摘要

How does emigration of highly educated citizens of low-income countries to high-income countries affect the economies of the origin countries? The direct effect is brain drain-a decrease in the country's human capital stock. However, there may also be indirect brain gain effects. This review summarizes evidence that uses causal inference methods to reveal mechanisms that may lead to brain drain, gain, or circulation. Collectively, the weight of the evidence suggests that migration opportunities often increase human capital stock in origin countries and produce downstream beneficial effects through remittances; foreign direct investment and trade linkages; transfers of knowledge, technology and norms; and return migration. We discuss conditions under which benefits from skilled migration may outweigh costs and also describe potential research paths to inform policy.