Brain drain
Theme: Brain drain
Brain drain is the emigration of highly qualified and skilled people (doctors, engineers, researchers, IT specialists) from their home country to another country, usually a richer one. It is a serious problem for developing countries, which lose the people they have trained.
Causes (push and pull factors)
| Push factors (home country) | Pull factors (host country) |
|---|---|
| low salaries | high salaries |
| unemployment | job opportunities |
| lack of research facilities | modern laboratories and equipment |
| limited career prospects | better career prospects and recognition |
| bureaucracy | better working and living conditions |
Consequences
- Negative for the home country: loss of skills and investment in education, shortage of doctors and engineers, slower development;
- Positive aspects: money sent home (remittances), transfer of knowledge and networks when migrants return (brain gain / brain circulation).
Solutions
Better salaries and working conditions, investment in research, encouraging the return of skilled migrants, partnerships with the diaspora.
Vocabulary
to emigrate / immigrant / emigrant, skilled workers, qualified, host country / home country, remittances, to settle, better prospects, brain gain, diaspora, to encourage
Grammar: linking words of cause and effect / the past perfect
Cause: because (+ clause), because of / due to / owing to (+ noun), since, as Effect: so, therefore, consequently, as a result, thus
Many doctors leave because salaries are low. — Many doctors leave because of low salaries. — Salaries are low; as a result, many doctors leave.
Past perfect (had + past participle) for an action before another past action: By the time he decided to come back, he had spent ten years in Canada.
Function: expressing cause and effect, giving reasons
The main reason why… is that… / This is due to… / This leads to… / This results in…
Writing: a cause-and-effect essay
Introduction (define brain drain) → causes → consequences → solutions → conclusion.
Exercise 1 — Cause and effect
Join the sentences using the word in brackets.
- Researchers lack equipment. They leave the country. (because)
- There are few job opportunities. Graduates emigrate. (due to)
- Many doctors emigrated. There is a shortage of doctors. (as a result)
Voir le corrigé
- Researchers leave the country because they lack equipment.
- Graduates emigrate due to the lack of job opportunities.
- Many doctors emigrated; as a result, there is a shortage of doctors.
Exercise 2 — Past perfect
Put the verbs in the correct tense.
- When she arrived in Germany, she (already / learn) ________ German.
- He (work) ________ in a hospital in Rabat before he emigrated.
Voir le corrigé
- she had already learnt / learned German.
- He had worked in a hospital in Rabat before he emigrated.
Summary — Brain drain
- Definition: emigration of highly qualified people to richer countries.
- Push factors: low salaries, unemployment, lack of research facilities ; pull factors: high salaries, opportunities, modern equipment.
- Consequences: loss of skills (−) ; remittances, brain gain (+).
- Solutions: better conditions, research, encouraging return, diaspora.
- Cause: because (+ clause), because of / due to (+ noun) ; effect: so, therefore, as a result.
- Past perfect: had + past participle.