Immigration barriers and net brain drain

Education and employment histories of more than 650 thousand scientists contained in ORCID data can shed light on the patterns of brain drain and brain gain in over 200 countries (and territories) over the last 40 years. The incidence of brain drain and brain gain is positively correlated across space and time. More restrictive immigration policy towards skilled workers and students is associated with lower levels of skilled emigration (brain drain), consistent with competition of domestic and foreign scientists for a limited number of domestic academic posts. However, after controlling for time and country heterogeneity, increased barriers to immigration are associated with a relatively larger effect on the inflow of skilled immigrants (brain gain), so more restrictive policy is associated with net brain drain.