Self-initiated expatriation among highly skilled people is on the rise globally. A new book now paints an increasingly accurate picture of the forms and motives of highly skilled mobility. Besides being career driven, self-initiated expatriation is also affected by people’s social embeddedness as well as intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. Self-initiated expatriation is often multidirectional, and many highly skilled people tend to migrate more than once.
The case studies included in the book suggest that learning the language and traditions of the destination country, and a hospitable atmosphere, are key in forming a positive experience.
“Immigration policy should be planned more comprehensively on all levels to attract highly skilled people in particular, and to prevent brain drain. Highly skilled people are aware of the opportunities available to them and to their families elsewhere,” Researcher Driss Habti from the University of Eastern Finland says.
The book focuses on the professional and personal interests, talent development and career goals of highly skilled people moving in and out of Finland.
“A key question we ask in the book is whether the Nordic countries can be more attractive due to what they offer in terms of career prospects and well-functioning institutions, and what makes the context of particular countries specific and attractive.”
Finland, for example, would need to adopt increasingly transparent and flexible regulation in order to attract highly skilled people.
The authors also challenge migration research that emphasises migration from the global South to the global North, suggesting that the new mobility turn is not about uni-directional flows. Comparative research can offer new insights and open new perspectives of processes and impacts of highly skilled migration on the specific country and of the level of state engagement in the global economy. The book also enhances our understanding of policy effectiveness in different countries regarding attraction and retention of different categories of highly educated people.
The book, Global Mobility of Highly Skilled People. Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Self-initiated Expatriation, is published by Springer and edited by Researcher Driss Habti from the University of Eastern Finland and Postdoctoral Researcher Maria Elo from the University of Turku.
Global Mobility of Highly Skilled People. Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Self-initiated Expatriation. Habti, Driss and Elo, Maria (eds). Springer (2018). Doi 10.1007/978-3-319-95056-3.
For further information, please contact:
Driss Habti, tel. +358 45 228 5500, driss.habti(at)uef.fi
Maria Elo, maria.elo(at)utu.fi.