Testing the ‘brain gain’ hypothesis: Micro evidence from Cape Verde

Catia Batista, Aitor Lacuesta (aitor.lacuesta@bde.es) and Pedro Vicente

Journal of Development Economics, 2012, vol. 97, issue 1, 32-45

Abstract: Does emigration really drain human capital accumulation in origin countries? This paper explores a unique household survey designed and conducted to answer this research question. We analyze the case of Cape Verde, a country with allegedly the highest ‘brain drain’ in Africa, despite a marked record of income and human capital growth in recent decades. We propose the first explicit test of ‘brain drain’ arguments, according to which the prospects of own future migration can positively impact educational attainment. Our most conservative estimates using individual specific variation in economic conditions at the destination indicate that a 10 pp increase in the probability of own future migration improves the probability of completing intermediate secondary schooling by nearly 4 pp for individuals who do not migrate before age 16. These findings are robust to the choice of instruments and econometric specification. Counterfactual simulations point to significant human capital gains from lowering migration barriers.

Keywords: Brain drain; Brain gain; International migration; Human capital; Effects of emigration in origin countries; Sub-Saharan Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F22 J24 O12 O15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (65)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Testing the 'Brain Gain' Hypothesis: Micro Evidence from Cape Verde (2010)
Working Paper: Testing the 'Brain Gain' Hypothesis: MIcro Evidence from Cape Verde (2009)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:deveco:v:97:y:2012:i:1:p:32-45

DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2011.01.005

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