E.g., 07/24/2026
E.g., 07/24/2026

Brain Waste & Credential Recognition: All Activity

Cover image for Best Practices for Designing and Managing Labour Migration Corridors to Europe
Reports
December 2025

Labor and skills shortages threaten the European Union’s economic growth. Attracting workers with sought-after skills from abroad will be an important means of addressing these challenges. This report examines best practices for designing and managing labor migration corridors between EU and non-EU countries, with the aim of benefiting countries of destination and origin, employers, and migrant workers alike.

Cover image for How Can Labor Migration Policies Help Tackle Europe’s Looming Skills Crisis?
Reports
June 2025

European employers are increasingly reporting difficulties finding workers with the right mix of skills, in sectors ranging from health care to information and communications technology. Alongside investments in workforce training and reskilling, a more joined-up EU approach to attracting and admitting immigrant workers with in-demand skills could help European societies address these shortages, as this report describes.

Canadians welcome Syrian refugees to Toronto.

Canada has long been viewed as a global leader in creating welcoming immigration policies. But amid pressures on housing and services, as well as a surge in admission of temporary migrants, most Canadians now say there is too much immigration. With the government lowering its targets for new arrivals, this country profile examines the factors behind Canada's policy evolution.

The World Is Going Greener. What Role Can Immigrants Play?
Multimedia
Thursday, December 12, 2024

Many countries need more workers to fill jobs in clean energy and other sectors that are critical in the fight against climate change. In this episode of our podcast Changing Climate, Changing Migration, Migration Policy Institute senior policy analyst Kate Hooper discusses the role immigrants can play.

Cover image for Understanding Obstacles to Foreign Qualification Recognition...
Policy Briefs
November 2024

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) systems across the United States are grappling with worker recruitment and retention challenges. At the same time, immigrants with relevant education and work experience obtained abroad often find it difficult to gain recognition for those qualifications. This policy brief highlights strategies for improving hiring and licensing processes in the ECEC field.

A university student in Thailand studying English.

Immigrants with university-level degrees are over-represented across many high-income countries, yet a significant number face "brain waste" in that they are working in jobs well below their skill levels or are unemployed. This article details the changing policy environment to improve credential recognition, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cover image for The Role of Immigrant Workers in the Green Transition
Policy Briefs
September 2024

The time-critical work of cutting global emissions depends on countries’ ability to cultivate a workforce with the skills needed in sectors such as clean energy. Immigrants are already playing a role in this green transition. But a more proactive strategy is needed to balance smart admissions policies with investments in (re)training and leveraging the skills of local workers, as well as international cooperation to build the global talent pool.

A scientist at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.

A rising number of immigrants in the United States are college educated. Nearly half of recent arrivals come with a college degree, well in excess of the 36 percent for all U.S.-born adults. This article explains the trends in immigration of the college educated, including international students and H-1B specialty occupation workers.

Cover image for Competing for Talent policy brief
Policy Briefs
April 2024

In the global race for talent, governments in Europe and beyond are exploring ways to attract workers with needed skills. At the same time, some lower- and middle-income countries are seeking to expand their nationals’ access to economic opportunities abroad. This policy brief examines employment- and skills-based mobility projects that seek to facilitate the movement of workers with in-demand skills, including their unique value-add and common challenges.

A health worker from the Philippines.

Countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany are increasingly relying on immigrant health-care workers to fill gaps in their workforce and care for aging populations. That has created opportunities for many foreign-born doctors and nurses, but could harm their origin countries. This article examines the dynamics of global health-care worker migration, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cover image for Immigration and Integration in the Ever More Diverse Houston Area
Reports
November 2023

Nearly one-quarter of residents of the Houston metro area are immigrants. These foreign-born Houstonians come from an ever-wider range of countries and are well represented in high-demand industries, and make up a sizeable share of parents. This report sketches a profile of the Houston area’s immigrant population overall, and takes a closer look at the number and characteristics of those eligible to naturalize.

Cover image for Displaced Ukrainians in European Labor Markets
Reports
May 2023

With millions of Ukrainians seeking safety in Europe, receiving countries are facing considerable pressure and also potential opportunities to benefit from this highly qualified population’s skills. This report explores displaced Ukrainians’ early employment outcomes, common challenges to finding jobs commensurate to their skills, and opportunities to more fully support their labor market integration.

Pages