Conceptual and Methodological Approach to the Analysis of International Migration of Professionals

Abstract

The most significant triggers of transformation in the qualitative structure of labor migration, alongside globalization processes and the intellectualization of the economy, are trends such as transnationalization and integration, which influence changes in employment structure and increase the demand for skilled and highly skilled labor. The absence of specialists in the national labor market stimulates migration flows of professionals, the demand for which will only continue to grow, while the migration processes themselves become more complex. The article conducts a comparative analysis of theoretical approaches to understanding the essence of migration of highly qualified specialists, defines a system of criteria underlying the classification of a particular worker as a type of labor migrant, and identifies the role of such actors in the circulation and regulation of migration of highly qualified specialists as states, transnational companies and integration associations. A new conceptual-methodological approach is proposed, the essence of which lies in the application of the typology of “migrant-professionals”, encompassing three broad groups of qualified/highly qualified specialists, depending on the varying levels of education, qualification, work experience, salary, and the degree of liberalization of the migration regime. The application of the proposed methodology will allow for a more comprehensive accounting and analysis of migrant-professionals, comparison of the effectiveness and flexibility of migration regulation instruments, ultimately contributing to the rapid satisfaction of sectoral labor market needs, as well as further technological development of countries.