Brain Drain: Factors that Influence Students’ Intention to Stay in the Host Country after Studying Abroad

Abstract

‘Brain drain’ is a phenomenon in which people with high qualifications and a high level of skills and competences, emigrates. One major case of the brain drain occurs when students from developing countries, studying in the developed ones, decide not to return home after they graduate. This study attempted to identify the factors that influence the intention of students to stay in the host country, after they graduate. A group of students from developing countries were examined, in order to confirm if family ties, institutional and social support of the host country were direct important factors that influence their intentions moderated by their perception of the host country labor market. Each factor was analyzed on a dimensional level: perceived support from students and professors, perceived support from university regarding immigration inquiries and internship inquiries, and family ties; moderated by perceived labor market job opportunities and labor market career advancement. After running a pilot study, a survey was conducted on a sample of 303 students from developing countries, studying in different host countries all around the globe. To ensure statistical validity, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed and Chronbach’s alpha coefficients were calculated. Correlation and regression analysis were performed to test the hypotheses. The results show that support received from professors is positively associated with the students’ intention to stay and that strong family ties is negatively associated with that intention. However, the relationship between family ties and intention to stay can be weakened by the positive perception the student has towards the labor market (job opportunities dimension) of the host country. The study also found partial moderator effect of the perceived labor market from both dimensions on the relationship between social support and intention to stay. Finally, the association between support received from the university (from both dimensions) and the intention to stay was not supported by the results of this research.

‘Brain drain’ is a phenomenon in which people with high qualifications and a high level of skills and competences, emigrates. One major case of the brain drain occurs when students from developing countries, studying in the developed ones, decide not to return home after they graduate. This study attempted to identify the factors that influence the intention of students to stay in the host country, after they graduate. A group of students from developing countries were examined, in order to confirm if family ties, institutional and social support of the host country were direct important factors that influence their intentions moderated by their perception of the host country labor market. Each factor was analyzed on a dimensional level: perceived support from students and professors, perceived support from university regarding immigration inquiries and internship inquiries, and family ties; moderated by perceived labor market job opportunities and labor market career advancement. After running a pilot study, a survey was conducted on a sample of 303 students from developing countries, studying in different host countries all around the globe. To ensure statistical validity, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed and Chronbach’s alpha coefficients were calculated. Correlation and regression analysis were performed to test the hypotheses. The results show that support received from professors is positively associated with the students’ intention to stay and that strong family ties is negatively associated with that intention. However, the relationship between family ties and intention to stay can be weakened by the positive perception the student has towards the labor market (job opportunities dimension) of the host country. The study also found partial moderator effect of the perceived labor market from both dimensions on the relationship between social support and intention to stay. Finally, the association between support received from the university (from both dimensions) and the intention to stay was not supported by the results of this research.