Fair Skilled Mobility: A Manifesto (Routledge Studies in Development, Mobilities and Migration)

This book sets out a new approach to the global flow of skilled migration, one based on ethical, fair, balanced and sustainable frameworks. Instead of focusing on human capital loss and ‘brain drain’, the book argues that we should look towards mutually beneficial outcomes.

In a world where demographic shifts, rapid technological advancements connected to automation and AI-enhancement, and evolving economic landscapes are reshaping labour markets, this book serves as a guide for ‘doing’ skilled migration, highlighting shared development, social inclusion and economic resilience opportunities. Seeking to provoke and inspire policymakers, researchers and practitioners, the book sets out a manifesto for transparent, fair and sustainable migration skill infrastructure, based on 13 theses. Based on extensive original data from across the Link4Skills consortium and its sister projects GS4S and SKILLS4JUSTICE across at least 15 countries of origin and 15 countries of destinations, the book addresses critical issues such as the depletion of labour markets in origin countries and the challenges of skill recognition and labour market integration and retention in destination countries.

This important new book will be a breath of fresh air for researchers, practitioners and policymakers looking for possible solutions to global migration skill flow challenges.

Izabela Grabowska is Professor of Social Sciences, Department of Economics, Kozminski University, Poland; Scientific Coordinator of Horizon Europe Link4Skills; and Director of Centre for Research on Social Change and Human Mobility (CRASH).

Mary Boatemaa Setrana is an Associate Professor at the Centre for Migration Studies, University of Ghana.