Education, Employment, and Migration

This 1978 study of the international migration of high-level manpower, popularly referred to as the 'brain drain', is based on data collected during the 1960s and 1970s. Whilst explaining the migration, Professor Ritterband analyzes the educational system of Israel as well as two other sample countries and the relationship between education and occupational success. He contends that one cause of the 'brain drain' is the mismatch of the educational qualifications of the job seekers and the higher demands of the employers. Professor Ritterband shows that the higher the level of education of the labor force in the home country, the higher the rate of the 'brain drain'. He also demonstrates, contrary to popular belief, that those who are less successful in the educational system in their homeland are less likely to emigrate than those who achieve academic success. The study examines the various contemporary public policy alternatives and develops a method for measuring their effectiveness.