The pull factors of high-skilled immigration and the role of policies

This chapter provides an overview of trends in high-skilled migration policy in 31 European countries, elucidating how these policies, along with other drivers of migration, shape high-skilled migration using a multi-disciplinary approach. Our analysis reveals a general trend towards liberalising high-skilled migration policies, though exceptions exist. Based on an extensive literature review, we identify politico-institutional, human development, and environmental factors as key pull factors of high-skilled migration. Building on this, we develop a comprehensive framework that integrates migration-related policy configurations and migration driver environments, which establish the wider incentive structures for potential and actual high-skilled migrants. While migration policy is important in moulding high-skilled migration, other drivers and policy domains like labour, education, social and cultural policy emerge as stronger pull factors. This suggests that in order to attract and retain high-skilled migrants effectively, a comprehensive approach is required that integrates both migration and non-migration policies.