What Moves the Highly Skilled and Why? Comparing Turkish Nationals in Canada and Germany
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/imig.12234 |
| Published date | 01 June 2016 |
| Date | 01 June 2016 |
| Author | Saime Ozcurumez,Deniz Yetkin Aker |
What Moves the Highly Skilled and Why?
Comparing Turkish Nationals in Canada and
Germany
Saime Ozcurumez* and Deniz Yetkin Aker**
ABSTRACT
Based on in-depth interviews with highly skilled and business Turkish nationals (HSBTN) in
Canada and Germany, this study aims to explore why HSBTN decide to move and whether
migration policy differences among the countries of destination affect recent migration motiva-
tions of HSBTN. It mainly focuses on the reasons and rationale of HSBTN and their explana-
tions. This study argues that the high skilled and business migrants in general and HSBTN in
particular move internationally as a consequence of individual-level gain beyond economic
prospects.
INTRODUCTION
Since the 2000s, states have aimed to encourage the admission of highly skilled and business
migrants while preventing the entry of the low-skilled (Castles, 2002: 1146). Highly skilled and
business migrants are individuals who have qualifications such as managers, directors, profession-
als, technicians, students, and are mobile “within the internal labour markets of transnational corpo-
rations and international organizations”(Castles, 2000: 270), or seek jobs in international labour
markets (Castles, 2000: 270). Countries aiming to attract this group encounter two policy chal-
lenges due to gaps in theoretically driven empirical studies on highly skilled migrants’motivations
to move. First, while there are several studies focusing on mobility, see Easthope (2009) on identity
constructions and mobility; Butcher (2009) on mobility and its possible effects on cultural change
and identity, among international migration theories aiming to explain the reasons for international
mobility (Massey et al., 1993: 432), very few focus on the reasons behind the decisions of the
highly skilled and business migrants to move (Favell, Feldblum and Smith, 2006: 15). Therefore
there is a lack of empirical evidence to explain what attracts the highly skilled to a certain country
over others. Second, as Castles (2004) emphasizes, “migrants are not just isolated individuals who
react to market stimuli and bureaucratic rules”(209). While potentially increased income may be a
necessary condition for the highly skilled to select a destination country over others, there is no
conclusive research to suggest that this is a sufficient condition. This study aims to fill these gaps
in the literature by asking what motivates the highly skilled to move and how they select among
potential destination countries.
* Bilkent University, 06800, Ankara
** Namik Kemal University
doi: 10.1111/imig.12234
©2016 The Authors
International Migration ©2016 IOM
International Migration Vol. 54 (3) 2016
ISSN 0020-7985Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
To continue reading
Request your trial