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Title: Brain drain in the age of mass migration: Does relative inequality explain migrant selectivity?

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2012

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Abstract: Brain drain is a core economic policy problem for many developing countries today. Does relative inequality in source and destination countries influence the brain-drain phenomenon? We explore human capital selectivity during the period 18201909.We apply age heaping techniques to measure human capital selectivity of international migrants. In a sample of 52 source and five destination countries we find selective migration determined by relative anthropometric inequality in source and destination countries. Other inequality measures confirm this. The results remain robust in OLS and ArellanoBond approaches. We confirm the RoyBorjas model of migrant self-selection. Moreover, we find that countries like Germany and UK experienced a smallpositive effect, because the less educated emigrated in larger numbers.

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Authors: Stolz, Yvonne; Baten, Joerg

Periodical (Full): Explorations in Economic History

Issue: 2

Volume: 49

Pages: 205-220

Data Collections: IPUMS USA, IPUMS International

Topics: Migration and Immigration, Other

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