Study on the movement of skilled labour: Final report

This study describes the trends, drivers and policy responses in relation to brain flow in Europe between 2004 and 2016. The corresponding main themes that have been explored are; the main flows of skilled labour; understanding this movement of skilled workers by looking at push and pull factors; how movement of skilled labour is addressed. The main findings from the analysis of stocks and flows of EU movers can be summarised as follows: (1) Data indicates that skilled (or educated), in particular high skilled/educated, EU movers account for a small part of the European labour market; (2) There has been a significant increase in the share of high skilled EU movers; (3) EU movers are not equally spread across Member States and regions and subsequently the benefits of EU movement have not been shared equally; (4) Skilled EU movers are relatively young, with most being of prime working age; (5) Medium skilled EU movers, on average, have higher employment rates than native born counterparts and high skilled EU movers, on average, have lower employment rates than native counterparts, although overall employment rates among high skilled individuals (both native and movers) are higher than among medium skilled individuals; (6) Increasingly, skilled EU movers reside in their host country for longer; (7) Available data indicates an element of skills loss and/or underemployment amongst skilled EU movers; and (8) Available data indicates an element of skills loss and/or underemployment amongst skilled EU movers.