Brain Drain

Brain Drain

Brain Drain is considered a problem of extreme importance for many developing countries. The concept of "brain drain" indicates the “flight” of resources in the form of human capital, especially the migration of skilled professionals. A large number of highly educated individuals from developing countries work in North America and Western Europe.

The migration of academics, scientists and other experts with high skills, from developing countries to Europe and North America has reached alarming proportions. A recent World Bank report estimated that 23,000 qualified academicians were emigrating from Africa each year.
The causes of brain drain vary from one country to another, but the most common causes are mainly economical. These highly skilled workers and graduates emigrate in search of better working and living conditions. They intent to avoid economic hardships prevailing in their countries of origin: poor performance, insufficient creation of news jobs and limited capacity to absorb qualified personnel. Inadequate national policies for training, employing, and giving incentives to qualified professionals are additional reasons to leave the country.
Some developed countries have put in place, emigration policies and laws which actively seek to attract and retain qualified personnel from other parts of the world. Consequently, those leaving are the very people that developing countries need to develop their economies. They are unable to pass on their skills to next generation of Africans.

This phenomenon has two negative effects. On the one hand, the origin countries lose human capital and thus are deprived of one of the engines of future economic growth; on the other hand, these countries waste a considerable part of their public funds invested during these emigrants' education and formation.

In order to stop or at least to reduce this collective flight, developing countries should think of practical measures to curve this phenomenon. Policy makers in poor countries should seriously think of offering these emigrants higher wages at home since they are driven away by a strong desire for a better life and better living conditions. Additionally, better working facilities and satisfactory working conditions may dissuade these skills and competencies from leaving their countries, which would turn brain drain into brain gain.