Attracting and retaining international students as skilled migrants

Abstract

OECD countries compete to attract and retain international students as skilled migrants. By definition former international students are of prime workforce age, face no regulatory barriers, and have self-funded to meet domestic employer demand. Within the global ‘race for talent’ they have emerged as a priority human capital resource. This chapter examines the study-migration pathways that have evolved in the past decade within skilled migration policy frameworks. Three case studies are provided, assessing select challenges in the context of national debate. The first examines the UK’s attempt to reduce net migration flows and the impact of this on student migration. The second explores the ..