10. Labour Migration and the Highly Skilled

Finding work abroad is one of the major motivations for migrating. Migrants with different skill levels seek better life opportunities abroad and become crucial actors in destination country labour markets. Their human capital, mainly measured by their educational attainment, skills and professional experiences, affect significantly the ways in which they integrate to the labour market of the destination countries, but also to what extent they can contribute back to their origin country through financial remittances, knowledge transfer and investment. We focus on the specific contributions of highly skilled migrants who occupy a unique position in the literature. Highly skilled migration is perceived more and more as a phenomenon which can have positive effects on the development of both the migrant sending and receiving countries. Considering this, under this research theme, we focus on investigating various labour migration patterns (e.g. circular, temporary, seasonal migration), labour market integration of immigrants with respect to their human capital and the capacity of immigrants with different skill levels to contribute to development. Moreover, recognizing the significance of highly skilled migration for many EU countries and the global race for talent, we conduct research regarding the policies to attract the highly skilled and seek to identify the determinants of destination country choices of highly skilled immigrants as an important area for evidence based policy making.

Contact: Katrin Marchand and Elaine McGregor

• Related publications

  Kahanec, Martin & Mariola Pytliková, 2017, The economic impact of East-West migration on the European Union, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2017-001

  Koser, Khalid & R. Omidvar, 2017, World Economic Forum blog, More information

  Qu, Zhaopeng & Zhong Zhao, 2016, Glass ceiling effect in urban China: Wage inequality of rural-urban migrants during 2002-2007, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2016-069

  Constant, Amelie, Annabelle Krause, Ulf Rinne & Klaus F. Zimmermann, 2016, Reservation wages of first- and second-generation migrants, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2016-050

  Koser, Khalid , 2016, World Economic Forum blog, More information

  International Labour Organization, ILO , 2016, Promoting informed policy dialogue on migration, remittance and development in Nepal, Kathmandu, ISBN: 9789221308034; 9789221308041, More information

  Kuschminder, Katherine, 2016, `Strong ties, weak ties: Exploring the role of networks in domestic worker migration from Ethiopia to the Middle East, Asian Pacific and Migration Journal, 25, More information

  Hercog, Metka & Mindel van de Laar, 2016, `Motivations and Constraints of Moving Abroad for Indian Students, Journal of International Migration & Integration

  Kahanec, Martin & Klaus F. Zimmermann (eds.), 2016, Labor Migration, EU Enlargement, and the Great Recession, Springer, Heidelberg, 478 p, More information

  Hercog, Metka & Melissa Siegel, 2015, Promoting Circular International Migration of the Highly Skilled, in: Diego Acosta Arcarazo and Anja Wiesbrock (Eds), Global Migration Old Assumptions, New Dynamics, Praeger, USA, More information

  Burlacu, Irina, 2014, Challenges and perspectives of free movement for work: an evaluation of differential tax-benefit systems on the welfare of frontier workers, PhD dissertation Maastricht University / United Nations University, More information

  Hercog, Metka, 2014, Highly skilled migration and new destination countries: How government policies shape destination choices, PhD Dissertation, Maastricht University, More information

  Kuschminder, Katherine, 2014, Shattered Dreams and Return of Vulnerability: Challenges of Ethiopian Female Migration to the Middle East, IS Academy Policy Brief No. 18

  Castles, Stephen, Hein de Haas & Mark J. Miller, 2014, The Age of Migration, Palgrave Macmillan, Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire and London, The Age of Migration, More information

  Hercog, Metka & Mindel van de Laar, 2013, Determinants of international mobility decision: The case-study of India, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2013-067

  Hercog, Metka & Mindel van de Laar, 2013, What's the best place for me? Location-choice for S&E students in India, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2013-066

  Skeldon, Ronald, 2013, `Migration and Asia: Reflections on Continuities and Change, Asia-Pacific Population Journal, 27

  Buil, Carla & Melissa Siegel, 2013, A New Multilateral Framework for Labour Migration: A Review of Options, This background paper assesses the feasibility of establishing an international framework for labour migration. It discusses the developmental implications of the prevailing ‘non-system’ of labour migration and the ways in which current immigration polici, More information

  Leppink, Jana, 2013, Moldovan female migrants in Italy: Expectations of migration vs. migration experiences, Migration policy brief No 12, More information

  Siegel, Melissa & Vivianne van der Vorst, 2012, Evaluation of the 'Blue Birds' Circular Migration Pilot in The Netherlands, Commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs

  Reslow, Natasja, 2012, European policy debate: the Mobility Partnerships, Migration policy brief No. 9, More information

  Muysken, Joan & Thomas Ziesemer, 2011, The effect of net immigration on economic growth in an ageing economy: transitory and permanent shocks, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2011-055

  Atamanov, Aziz & M. van den Berg, 2011, International migration and local employment: analysis of self-selection and earnings in Tajikistan, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2011-047

  Muysken, Joan & Thomas Ziesemer, 2011, Immigration and growth in an ageing economy - version 2, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2011-037

  Hercog, Metka & Melissa Siegel, 2011, Promoting return and circular migration of the highly skilled, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2011-015

  Muysken, Joan & Thomas Ziesemer, 2011, Immigration and growth in an ageing economy, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2011-012

  Siegel, Melissa, 2011, `The Age of Migration: International Population Movements in the Modern World, 4th Edition, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 37

  Atamanov, Aziz, 2011, Rural nonfarm employment and international migration as alternatives to agricultural employment: The case of Kyrgyzstan, MGSoG Dissertation Series, More information

  Hercog, Metka & A. Wiesbrock, 2010, The Legal Framework for Highly-Skilled Migration to the EU: EU and US Labour Migration Policies Compared, MGSoG Working Paper 2010-001

  Eisele, Katharina, 2010, Reflections on the EU Blue Card, Migration Policy Brief No. 2, IS Academie, More information

  Hagen-Zanker, Jessica Sabine , Melissa Siegel & Chris de Neubourg, 2009, `Strings attached. The impediments to migration in Albania and Moldova, Journal of South-East European and Black Sea Studies, 9

  Dunnewijk, Theo, 2008, Global Migration of the Highly Skilled: A Tentative and Quantitative Approach, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2008-070

  Wu, Treena, 2008, Circular migration and social protection in Indonesia, MGSoG Working Paper 2008-010

  Dunnewijk, Theo, 2007, Migration of the highly skilled, Research report UNU-MERIT

  Hansen, Wendy, 2006, Knowledge worker flows - Indicators and Issues for Brain Circulation , presented at the Symposium on International Migration and Development of United Nations and the Rosselli Foundation, Turin Italy 28-30 June 2006 , More information