Addressing the Implications of the Emigration of Skilled and Educated Europeans

There are two unfolding migration “events” occurring in Europe. One is the dramatic crisis that is capturing daily headlines and commands the full attention of policymakers and publics alike. The other is the story that has been displaced by the massive migration crisis but continues to be of deep concern to origin-country policymakers: the emigration of talented residents who seek opportunities elsewhere in Europe and beyond. Many European countries, particularly those hit hardest by the global economic crisis and its aftermath, have had to contend with the loss of substantial human capital as well-prepared young residents continue to leave their home countries in search of better opportunities for themselves and their families.

The Migration Policy Institute’s Transatlantic Council on Migration is releasing a series of reports on how governments and societies can attenuate some of the costs of emigration and capture more of its potential benefits. The question of how to retain one’s most valuable workers, once considered solely a challenge for low- and middle-income countries, continues to be a concern in Europe—even as emigration rates from the hardest-hit EU countries have slowed down.

Demetrios G. Papademetriou, the Convenor of the Transatlantic Council and author of the Council Statement on ways to turn emigration challenges into opportunities, will be joined by Transatlantic Council Founding Member Antonio Vitorino and Council report author Irial Glynn for a discussion on the long-term policy reforms that countries such as Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Italy, and Greece should consider in order to create meaningful employment and upward mobility opportunities at home for both natives and immigrants with the aim of both retaining and attracting back the skilled workers on whom economies depend for growth, innovation, and economic competitiveness.