Brain drain

Just yesterday, I suggested to a friend that the U.S. could be looking at a large influx of immigrants from Great Britain and other western European nations over the next couple of decades.

I keep reading reports about how poorly the nationalized health care systems are performing in these countries, how individual freedoms are being eroded, and how increasing Muslim populations are overwhelming their native cultures. As these trends continue, it's predictable that natives of these countries will begin to relocate to places that offer a culture and lifestyle that resembles their own. It's also predictable that those who have the means to relocate will be the most productive members of their nations.

And so it is: (via The Other Side)

Biggest brain drain from UK in 50 years

By Robert Winnett, Deputy Political Editor
Last Updated: 4:06am GMT 21/02/2008

Britain is experiencing the worst "brain drain" of any country as highly qualified professionals settle abroad, an authoritative international study showed yesterday.

Record numbers of Britons are leaving - many of them doctors, teachers and engineers - in the biggest exodus for almost 50 years.

...

No other nation is losing so many qualified people, it points out. Britain has now lost more than one in 10 of its most skilled citizens, while overall only Mexico has had more people emigrate.

...

The most popular destinations are English-speaking countries such as Australia, America, Canada and New Zealand and holiday areas including France and Spain.

...

The OECD found that 27.3 per cent of those emigrating had health or education qualifications, 37.7 per cent had humanities or social science degrees and 28.5 per cent were scientists or engineers.

This definitely seems like something we need to be keeping an eye on. While adding more professionals to our ranks is a good thing for the U.S., major problems will be emerging in western Europe.