The Microeconomic Determinants of Emigration and Return Migration of the Best and Brightest : Evidence from the Pacific
A unique survey which tracks worldwide the best and brightest academic performers from three Pacific countries is used to assess the extent of emigration and return migration among the very highly skilled, and to analyze, at the microeconomic level...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Policy Research Working Paper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2012
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20090617101215 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/4159 |
| Summary: | A unique survey which tracks worldwide
the best and brightest academic performers from three
Pacific countries is used to assess the extent of emigration
and return migration among the very highly skilled, and to
analyze, at the microeconomic level, the determinants of
these migration choices. Although the estimates indicate
that the income gains from migration are very large, not
everyone migrates and many return. Within this group of
highly skilled individuals, the emigration decision is found
to be most strongly associated with preference variables
such as risk aversion, patience, and choice of subjects in
secondary school, and not strongly linked to either
liquidity constraints or the gain in income to be had from
migrating. Likewise, the decision to return is strongly
linked to family and lifestyle reasons, rather than to the
income opportunities in different countries. Overall the
data show a relatively limited role for income maximization
in distinguishing migration propensities among the very
highly skilled, and point to the need to pay more attention
to other components of the utility maximization decision. |
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