Recent
trends
in
Qualified
Migration
from
L ti A
i
d th C ibb
Latin
America
and
the
Caribbean:
Between
Brain
Drain
and
Brain
Waste
Fernando Lozano Ascencio
CUMBRE 2010
Fourth Latino/Latin American Summit of the Great Plains
The debate on skilled migration in Latin
1970s 1980s
1990s 2000s
The
debate
on
skilled
migration
in
Latin
American
and Caribbean
countries:
1970s-1980s
1990s-2000s
Brain drain
Brain
circulation,
exchage &
exchage &
gain
Heterogeneous
Heterogeneous
Lose of
skilled
Policy:
Retention
Skilled
workers:
agents of
Policy:
links
with the
impact
impact
skilled
workers
Retention,
Return
agents of
change &
innovation
with the
diaspora
y
This opposition between pessimistic and optimistic
perspectives hide the fact that skilled migration has
an
heterogeneous
impact in sending and receiving
an heterogeneous
impact in sending and receiving
countries (positive and negative impact within and
between contries)
y
In theoretical terms “…neither the pessimists nor the
optimists were right, as the heterogeneity of real-life
p
g ,
g
y
migration-development interactions is too high to fit
them into deterministic theoretical schemes
predicting the development outcome of migration”
predicting the development outcome of migration
(De Haas 2010 IMR). Functionalists, structuralist and
the “pluralist” perspective.
Parts of
the presentation:
y
Current trends in qualified migration from
Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries
(heterogeneous impact)
(heterogeneous impact)
y
Brain waste among LAC skilled migrants: labor force
y
Brain waste among LAC skilled migrants: labor force
incorporation in occupations whose qualification
Migrant population 25 years or older residing in OECD countries
30 0
Migrant
population
25
years
or
older
residing
in
OECD
countries
by
skill
level
(years
of
education),
1990,
2000
and
2007.
20.3
25.9
20 0
25.0
30.0
25.1
28.3
12.2
15.0
20.0
20.4
8.8
12.7
15.5
5.0
10.0
0.0
1990
2000
2007
Low skilled
Medium skilled
High skilled
e
Low skilled
Medium skilled
High skilled
Source: Prepared by the author based on Docquier, Lowell and Marfouk 2008.
Stock of highly skilled migrants 25 years or older, residing in
Stock
of
highly
skilled
migrants
25
years
or
older,
residing
in
OECD
countries
by
region
of
origin,
2007.
(Population
in
millions)
0 5
4.9
Oceania
LAC
Population of highly skilled
1.1
0.5
USA & Canada
Oceania
migrants in 2007
e
25.9 millions
8.3
1.8
Europe
Africa
9.3
Asia
0
2
4
6
8
10
Source: Prepared by the author based on Docquier, Lowell and Marfouk 2008.
Stock of highly skilled migrants 25 years and older
idi
i OECD
t i
b L ti A
i
d
residing in OECD countries by Latin American and
Caribbean region of origin, 2007
e
Population of highly skilled migrants in LAC
27.6%
33.8%
1,357.1
Mexico
p
g y
g
countries
(4.9 millions)
11.4%
19.9%
1,662.3
561.2
Caribbean C.
C. America
10.2%
830.0
,
Andean C.
501.1
0
500
1,000 1,500 2,000
South America
Source: Prepared by the author based on Docquier, Lowell and Marfouk 2008. a ou 008
Data for 2007 is an estimation based on the growth rates observed during the period 1990-2000.
Stock of highly skilled migrant 25 years or older residing in
Stock
of
highly
skilled
migrant
25
years
or
older
residing
in
OECD
countries
by
region
of
origin,
as
percentage
of
the
native
population
with
the
same
characteristics,
2007.
10.2
11.3
10.0
12.0
p p
,
5.6
5.9
7.3
7.9
6.0
8.0
0.9
2.0
4.0
0.9
0.0
Total
USA &
Canadá
Asia
Europe
Oceania
Africa
LAC
Canadá
Source: Prepared by the author based on Docquier, Lowell and Marfouk 2008.
Stock
of
highly
skilled
migrant
25
years
or
older
residing
in
OECD
countries
by
LAC
i
d
f
i i
f h
i
l i
i h h
90.0
100.0
region
and
country
of
origin,
as
percentage
of
the
native
population
with
the
same
characteristics,
2007.
70.0
80.0
90.0
40 0
50.0
60.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
0.0
10.0
Central America
Caribbean
Andean
South America
Mexico
Source: Prepared by the author based on Docquier, Lowell and Marfouk 2008.
The
United
States:
main
destination
of
LAC
skilled
migrants.
From the
4 9 millions
16%
From the
4.9 millions
of skilled LAC migrants
in OECD countries,
4 1 millions
(84%)
4.1 millions
(84%)
migrated to the United
Sates
4.1
millions
(84%)
USA
Other OCD contries
Wage earning skilled migrants residing in the US 25 years and
Wage
‐
earning
skilled
migrants
residing
in
the
US,
25
years
and
older,
by
region
of
origin
and
academic
level,
2005
‐
2007
(percentage
distribution)
50 7
80%
90%
100%
64.6
50.7
55.9
58.6
68.2
50%
60%
70%
26.2
30.7
28.6
25.1
20.4
20%
30%
40%
9.3
18.6
15.5
16.3
11.4
0%
10%
USA
Europe
Asia
Africa
LAC
PhD degree
Master´s degree
Bacherlor´s degree
Wage
‐
earning
skilled
migrants
residing
in
the
US,
25
years
and
100%
older,
by
LAC
country
of
origin
and
academic
level,
2005
‐
2007
(percentage
distribution)
70%
80%
90%
40%
50%
60%
20%
30%
0%
10%
PhD degree
Master´s degree
Bachelor´s degree
Wage
‐
earning highly skilled migrants residing in the US, 25 years
14 9
16 3
100%
Wage earning
highly
skilled
migrants
residing
in
the
US,
25
years
and
older,
by
region
of
origin
and
job
classification,
2005
‐
2007
(percentage
distribution)
25.1
23.9
23.1
14.9
16.3
17.4
23.2
30.7
70%
80%
90%
24.7
26.7
40%
50%
60%
60.0
59.8
59.5
52.0
42.6
20%
30%
40%
0%
10%
USA
Europa
Asia
África
ALC
Calificación Alta
Calificación Técnica
Sin calificación
Wage
‐
earning
highly
skilled
migrants
residing
in
the
US,
25
years
90%
100%
and
older,
by
LAC
country
of
origin
and
job
classification,
2005
‐
07
(percentage
distribution)
60%
70%
80%
90%
30%
40%
50%
60%
10%
20%
30%
0%
High qualification job
Technical qualification job
No qualification job
Fi
l
k
Final remarks:
¾
The negative effects of highly skilled migration in LAC
i
d
i
h
ll
d
countries tend to concentrate in the smaller and poorest
countries (
heterogeneity impact
).
¾
The population of skilled workers face the problem of
p p
p
sub-utilization of their skills and capabilities
in both, sending
and receiving countries. So, before considering them as an
agents of change and innovation, we have to recognize that
g
g
,
g
they have growth because of the lack of development in the
origin, besides the precarious labor market incorporation in the
receiving countries.
receiving countries.
¾
Vital role of states promoting favorable conditions in sending
countries.