<p>The brain drain is a difficult issue facing many countries around the world. Simply, they need something to come back to. Laborers generally leave countries because there is insufficient economic activity for them domestically. If a country wants to retain workers, they need to build up educational infrastructure, encourage foreign direct investment, and open up border to free trade. However, building domestic economic infrastructure requires skilled labor - the very laborers who generally leave for foreign markets. Its a bit of a catch-22.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-11T16:05:48.307Z
Why are you stressing FDI? Can't a country develop its economy without FDI?
user366312
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-11T18:13:32.937Z
Sure, but FDI has shown to be a reasonable to infuse capital into a growing economy.
bdempe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-11T15:51:04.033Z
2020-07-11T15:51:04.033Z
bdempe
<p>Suppose, I am a leader of a country, and <a href="http://www.oit.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/---ilo-kathmandu/documents/publication/wcms_532696.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">a lot of my citizens go to the Gulf states</a> (see 3.1, Page-09) to work as unskilled laborers. I see my population working abroad as laborers as <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1436145" rel="nofollow noreferrer">a prestige concern</a> of my country, and <a href="https://tribune.com.pk/story/2122015/saudi-arabia-put-pressure-pakistan-skip-malaysia-summit-erdogan" rel="nofollow noreferrer">strategic baggage</a>.</p>
<p>What can I do so that these laborers happily come back home, happily stay in their own country, and contribute to their own country's economy?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-12T00:55:36.117Z
I edited the title. The original wording was awkward as it had an unintended second interpretation.
Brian Romanchuk
<labor-economics>
How can a country develop the skills of its population and have them stay?
user366312
# How can a country develop the skills of its population and have them stay?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-07-11)

Suppose, I am a leader of a country, and [a lot of my citizens go to the Gulf states](http://www.oit.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/---ilo-kathmandu/documents/publication/wcms_532696.pdf) (see 3.1, Page-09) to work as unskilled laborers. I see my population working abroad as laborers as [a prestige concern](https://www.dawn.com/news/1436145) of my country, and [strategic baggage](https://tribune.com.pk/story/2122015/saudi-arabia-put-pressure-pakistan-skip-malaysia-summit-erdogan).

What can I do so that these laborers happily come back home, happily stay in their own country, and contribute to their own country's economy?

**Tags:** labor-economics

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I edited the title. The original wording was awkward as it had an unintended second interpretation.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-07-11. Score: 1

The brain drain is a difficult issue facing many countries around the world. Simply, they need something to come back to. Laborers generally leave countries because there is insufficient economic activity for them domestically. If a country wants to retain workers, they need to build up educational infrastructure, encourage foreign direct investment, and open up border to free trade. However, building domestic economic infrastructure requires skilled labor - the very laborers who generally leave for foreign markets. Its a bit of a catch-22.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Why are you stressing FDI? Can't a country develop its economy without FDI?  
> **username_2**: Sure, but FDI has shown to be a reasonable to infuse capital into a growing economy.  

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