Brainy Africans to Fortress Europe: For Money or Colonial Vestiges?

Amelie Constant and Bienvenue N. Tien

No 965, Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin from DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research

Abstract: Economic reasons along with cultural affinities and the existence of networks have been the main determinants explaining migration flows between home and host countries. This paper reconsiders these approaches combined with the gravity model and empirically tests the hypothesis that ex-colonial links can still play an important role in the emigration decision. We employ a general linear mixed model, and apply it to the case of skilled, educated and talented Africans, who migrate to Fortress Europe over the period of 1990 to 2001. While we find some differences in the exodus of skilled Africans by sub-regions, the magnitude of the colonial vestige in Africa is a significant determinant of emigration flows. Overall, Portugal is preferred to the UK which is preferred more than Belgium, Germany and Italy. Brainy Africans are, however, indifferent between the UK, France and Spain as a destination country. Established immigrant networks and higher standards of living with job opportunities in the host country are also very important drivers of the emigration of brainy Africans to the European ex-colonial powers.

Keywords: Skilled migration; Africa; colonization; networks; economic reasons (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F22 J61 O15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 46 p.
Date: 2009
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-afr and nep-mig
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Working Paper: Brainy Africans to Fortress Europe: For Money or Colonial Vestiges? (2009)
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