Brain Gain as a Neighbourhood Affair: Evidence from OECD Countries and the US-Mexico Case

This paper analyses correlations between highly qualified migration (HQM) and geographic proximity. The main destines for HQM are the US and some OECD countries, which are also the places that mostly invest in education, research and development and show high purchasing power parity. Some authors explain the economic prosperity in developed countries based on the contribution that migrants make to their multicultural societies. But where do these migrants come from? Do regions (neighbourhood) matter on the international market of competences?
Based on statistic analysis of main countries of destination, I assume that proximity is still is an important factor for professionals who choose to migrate, due to cultural affinities and regional labour agreements that favour free labour movement, among others. People tend to go to where there are good labour opportunities but also to places to which they are geographically and culturally akin. For instance, Europeans tend to choose other European countries when they migrate, Canadians mainly go to the US and a significant number of Americans migrate to Canada or Mexico for a life change. The paper also discusses exceptions to this tendency.