The impact of brain drain on economic growth: A comparative analysis of Pre- and Post-outbreak of Covid-19 periods

This study explores the impact of brain drain on income growth and compares its effects between the pre- and post-outbreak of Covid-19 periods based on unbalanced panel data for 60 countries covering the period 1995–2022. Using fixed effects and system GMM regressions, the results reveal that brain...

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Main Authors: Han-Sol Lee, Aleksei N. Kurbatskii, Marina V. Mironenkova
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-12-01
Series:Sustainable Futures
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825006471
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author Han-Sol Lee
Aleksei N. Kurbatskii
Marina V. Mironenkova
author_facet Han-Sol Lee
Aleksei N. Kurbatskii
Marina V. Mironenkova
author_sort Han-Sol Lee
collection DOAJ
description This study explores the impact of brain drain on income growth and compares its effects between the pre- and post-outbreak of Covid-19 periods based on unbalanced panel data for 60 countries covering the period 1995–2022. Using fixed effects and system GMM regressions, the results reveal that brain drain negatively influenced income growth during the pre-Covid-19 period, while its relationship became positive after Covid-19. This implies that, after Covid-19, brain drain created brain circulation and positive effects on the source country. These results allow us to draw the following insights. First, the enhanced use of technology and the development of remote working blurred the importance of physical country borders. Second, after Covid-19, the role of nation-states became significant, which caused the return of populations to their original countries, and contributions to the origin countries may have increased through knowledge spillovers, remittances, and so forth.
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spelling doaj-art-9361b14effa040e79a5213c63fe97e5a2025-08-20T02:55:20ZengElsevierSustainable Futures2666-18882025-12-011010108310.1016/j.sftr.2025.101083The impact of brain drain on economic growth: A comparative analysis of Pre- and Post-outbreak of Covid-19 periodsHan-Sol Lee0Aleksei N. Kurbatskii1Marina V. Mironenkova2RUDN university, Faculty of Economics, Department of Marketing, Russia; Corresponding author.Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow School of Economics, Department of Econometrics and Mathematic Methods of Economics, RussiaLomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow School of Economics, Department of Econometrics and Mathematic Methods of Economics, RussiaThis study explores the impact of brain drain on income growth and compares its effects between the pre- and post-outbreak of Covid-19 periods based on unbalanced panel data for 60 countries covering the period 1995–2022. Using fixed effects and system GMM regressions, the results reveal that brain drain negatively influenced income growth during the pre-Covid-19 period, while its relationship became positive after Covid-19. This implies that, after Covid-19, brain drain created brain circulation and positive effects on the source country. These results allow us to draw the following insights. First, the enhanced use of technology and the development of remote working blurred the importance of physical country borders. Second, after Covid-19, the role of nation-states became significant, which caused the return of populations to their original countries, and contributions to the origin countries may have increased through knowledge spillovers, remittances, and so forth.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825006471J11O47
spellingShingle Han-Sol Lee
Aleksei N. Kurbatskii
Marina V. Mironenkova
The impact of brain drain on economic growth: A comparative analysis of Pre- and Post-outbreak of Covid-19 periods
Sustainable Futures
J11
O47
title The impact of brain drain on economic growth: A comparative analysis of Pre- and Post-outbreak of Covid-19 periods
title_full The impact of brain drain on economic growth: A comparative analysis of Pre- and Post-outbreak of Covid-19 periods
title_fullStr The impact of brain drain on economic growth: A comparative analysis of Pre- and Post-outbreak of Covid-19 periods
title_full_unstemmed The impact of brain drain on economic growth: A comparative analysis of Pre- and Post-outbreak of Covid-19 periods
title_short The impact of brain drain on economic growth: A comparative analysis of Pre- and Post-outbreak of Covid-19 periods
title_sort impact of brain drain on economic growth a comparative analysis of pre and post outbreak of covid 19 periods
topic J11
O47
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825006471
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