Higher education, economic development and international emigration of high skilled population in Latin America and Caribbean

We analyze the current trends in skilled migration from Latin America and the Caribbean to OECD countries, focusing on United Stated.  We discuss theoretical perspectives on skilled migration from a literature review, and detect historical migration trends in Latin America. We used a new database on emigration rates by education attainment. Empirical evidence showed that the stock of migrants increased between 1990 and 2000 in absolute terms, and relative to migrants with low and medium levels of education. Women exhibit higher emigration rates than skilled men. Small states, with low levels of development, have seen emigration increasing at greater rates than others. 

Paradoxically, countries with smaller diasporas show higher levels of migration selectivity. It is estimated that about 40% of these skilled, in most cases professional immigrants not find employment in their chosen profession (scientific and engineering) and they are under-utilized and their talent and skills are wasted.

Finally, although the impacts of globalization are difficult to assess, we find that countries with continued and consistent economic and educational policies have smaller stocks of high skilled population living abroad than others (this is the cases of Brazil and Chile). Therefore, despite the limitations imposed by the global situation, it is possible to act at national level to guide the human resources for the development of the country. This point of view permit thinks two kinds of policies: 1) a regional policy of human resources coherent with Latin American labor market demand; 2) a national policy oriented to the institutionalization of the diaspora and knowledge exchange mechanisms between the diaspora and the professionals working in the country of origin