From Portugal to Canada and the United States, discover the countries where individuals are flocking to and leaving in search of jobs
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Traditionally, in the context of job prospects, cities have been the places to be. Known colloquially as brain drain, individuals have moved thousands of kilometres across the world to metropolitan hubs like London and Berlin – or regions such as Silicon Valley – in search of work. However, rising costs and lifestyle shifts have begun to turn the tide on tradition now, letting new countries and places take centre stage for those looking for jobs.
Equally, places that once faced significant brain drain are now enjoying the opposite – brain gain – as thousands turn toward their borders for secure livelihoods.
So, where in the world are individuals leaving for better job opportunities – and which nations are receiving an influx of people looking for highly-skilled work? Read on to find out…
Portugal
Between 2018 and 2023, Portugal saw the largest increase in foreign tech talent out of anywhere in Europe, standing at an 180 per cent uptick. Reasons for this influx include smart visa policies – such as the Tech Visa and Digital Nomad Visa – combined with low living costs. As well as this, the nation also offers a non-habitual residency tax break, ideal for both retirees and remote entrepreneurs.
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A Golden Visa residency programme also continues to attract individuals to the country. Essentially, this works by individuals committing a minimum of €500,000 to Golden Visa-approved investment funds. In turn, investors alongside their family members can apply for residency and potentially obtain Portuguese and EU dual citizenship after just five years. Those who hold Golden Visas can live, work and study in Portugal while enjoying visa-free travel across 29 Schengen countries.
Key sectors driving growth in Portugal include media and international events, healthcare, technology, renewable energy and tourism and hospitality.
However, the nation has simultaneously experienced brain drain in recent years, fuelled by low wages and unaffordable housing market. To counter this, the government plans to offer young workers – under the age of 35 – a decade of tax breaks, including a one-year 100 per cent income tax exemption.
Canada
In 2023 alone, more than 320,000 engineers, healthcare professionals, IT specialist and entrepreneurs migrated to Canada from countries around the world.
The country’s immigration system is designed to attract skilled professionals, with programmes such as Express Entry and the Provincial Nominee prioritises experts in fields such as technology, engineering and healthcare. These schemes make it easier for those embarking on them to gain permanent residency.
In particular, cities such as Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary have emerged as technology hubs. So vast is Toronto’s tech workforce – an uptick attributed to Canada’s keen investment in innovation – that it has even outpaced the rate of growth in many major US cities.
In addition to these factors, Canada also offers a high standard of living and universal healthcare, further incentivising those keen to make a leap into the country’s workforce.
Mexico
You might think that Silicon Valley is located in California. That’s right, but a second Silicon Valley can also be found in Mexico – known as Guadalajara – and its known for its vibrant and booming tech sector. Many individuals have flocked to the region to be part of it.
Mexico is also piquing the interest of digital nomads – those individuals working entirely remotely in their jobs. In fact, some districts in the nation have reported up to a 200 per cent increase in international residents since the pandemic. Other countries popular with digital nomads include Lisbon, Tbilisi and Bangkok.
However, the country also experiences significant brain drain. Between 1990 and 2015, more than 1.4 million Mexicans holding postgraduate degrees left the country, and around one-third of Mexican nationals holding PhD degrees live in the US. Factors such as increased crime, violence and corruption majorly impact Mexican’s decisions to leave the country.
Georgia
Back in 2021, more than 10,000 remote workers relocated to Georgia. The country boasts easy visa applications, low taxes (just one per cent for small businesses) and an attractively cheap cost of living.
In addition, the Georgian government has rolled out initiatives to encourage skilled professionals abroad to return home, such as professional development opportunities and reintegration support.
Another attractive factor piquing workers’ interest was the ‘Remotely from Georgia’ programme, created during the pandemic. Essentially, the initiative invited digital nomads from 95 territories to live and work in the country for up to one year, many whom have since become permanent residents of the nation.
United Arab Emirates
Many factors combine to allure workers to the United Arab Emirates. For example, the Great Arab Minds Initiative offers substantial financial grants to Arab scientists to conduct research within the UAE. Efforts are also underway to transition the UAE into a knowledge-based economy, enhancing education, innovation and IT sectors to both attract and retain talent.
Despite these measures, brain drain is a significant issue for the nation, with estimates placing economic losses at more than $2 billion due to talent migrating away. Many Emirati students pursue higher education overseas and do not return back to their home country.
Furthermore, some skilled expatriates in the UAE experience ‘brain waste’ – where their qualifications are underutilised, leading to low satisfaction.
Germany
In recent years, Germany has faced a shrinking workforce. To combat this, the nation has created a new Skilled Immigration act. This makes it easier for non-EU workers to settle, particularly in the IT, healthcare and engineering sectors.
Between 2010 and 2017, the share of foreign-trained doctors increased from around 7 per cent to 12.5 per cent. Still, the country does face brain drain, particularly among early-career female researchers leaving for countries like the US, UK and Switzerland. It also experiences ‘brain waste’ among many skilled migrants, highlighting the need for better integration policies.
To keep its economy stable, Germany must attract more than 400,000 workers annually, making it the biggest importer of talent in the world.
United Kingdom
At the end of 2023, the UK experienced a record-high net migration of 906,000, primarily driven by non-EU citizens arriving for work and study purposes. Factors incentivising individuals to move include post-study work opportunities like the Graduate Route visa introduced in 2021. This allows students to remain in the UK for at least two years once their studies have finished.
Despite this, the UK still experiences brain drain. In 2024, it saw the largest number of individuals emigrating – 508,000 people – with 215,000 being British citizens seeking better opportunities abroad. Reasons to move include economic uncertainty, high inflation and the aftermath of Brexit.
Brain drain also exists within the country itself. Many UK graduates from top universities end up moving to London for better job prospects, with the inadvertent effect of affecting local economies and regional disparities.
In addition, many of those working in healthcare and teaching professions have moved to countries offering better pay and working conditions. For example, approximately 145,000 British teachers now work in international schools.
