The migration and return of professionals

THE SURVEY WAS MADE IN 1972 BY THE UNITED NATIONS INSTITUTE FOR TRAINING AND RESEARCH (UNITAR). ANALYSIS OF THE DATA COLLECTED FROM QUESTIONNAIRES WAS DONE AT THREE DIFFERENT PLACES USING THREE COMPUTER SYSTEMS: AT THE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY COMPUTER CENTER IN NEW YORK, AT THE RIO DATACENTRO OF THE PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDADE CATOLICA, AND AT THE INSTITUTO BRASILEIRO DE INFORMATICA, BOTH IN RIO DE JANEIRO. THE DESIGN OF THE STUDY FOCUSED ON EXPLAINING WHY PERSONS FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES STUDY IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, WHY SOME STAY ON TO WORK, AND WHY OTHERS RETURN HOME. THE REPORT PRESENTS THE OVERALL PATTERNS OF MIGRATION DERIVED FROM THE SURVEY. TABLES LIST LONG-RUN MIGRATION PLANS OF PRINCIPAL GROUPS OF FOREIGN STUDENTS AND STAY-ONS, GROUPED BY COUNTRY AND CAREER SPECIALTY. MANY ATTITUDES AND INFLUENCES INDUCE THE STUDENT TO STUDY ABROAD. THIS PAPER PRESENTS INFORMATION ON THE LONG-TERM CAREER DECISIONS WHILE WORKING ABROAD, MIGRATION DECISIONS AFTER RETURN, AND THE PREDICTION OF MIGRATION AND RETURN. IT ALSO DISCUSSES THE LOSSES AND GAINS DERIVED FROM EACH DECISION. CONCLUSIONS FROM THE SURVEY INDICATE THAT WHETHER PROFESSIONALS EMIGRATE OR RETURN DEPENDS ON MANY CONDITIONS; VARIATIONS WHICH CAN EFFECT THIS DECISION ARE THE LENGTH OF STAY, CONDITIONS IN THE HOME COUNTRY AND THE HOST COUNTRY, AND PERSONAL MOTIVES.