From Brain Drain to Brain Flow: Diaspora Engagement as a Driver of Labor Market Development in the Western Balkans

From Brain Drain to Brain Flow: Diaspora Engagement as a Driver of Labor Market Development in the Western Balkans

Mimoza Dushi
IDEFE Publications, 2025
9 pp.
DOI: 10.51331/perspective09
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1. What motivates Kosovo Albanian migrants to engage with their country of origin, and how do motivations differ by region of settlement (EU vs. U.S.)?
2. What are the primary barriers that prevent the diaspora from engaging more effectively in labor market development in home countries?
3. In what ways can diaspora knowledge and expertise contribute to bridging the skills gap in local labor markets?
4. How can governments in the Western Balkans institutionalize diaspora engagement in ways that directly support employment generation and sustainable development?

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Migration has long shaped the socio-economic landscape of the Western Balkans. Political instability, economic stagnation, and shifting global labor market dynamics have led to continuous outflows of skilled and educated individuals, particularly young people. All countries in the region, including Kosovo and North Macedonia, reflect this trend. Today, over one-third of Kosovo’s population and nearly one-third of North Macedonia’s citizens live abroad. This large-scale emigration, commonly referred as “brain drain,” poses serious challenges to national development, labor market sustainability, and institutional capacity.

Yet, the traditional narrative of brain drain fails to capture the evolving and multi effected role of diasporas in shaping development. The concept of “brain flow” offers more constructive lens, one that recognizes diasporas as active contributors of knowledge, investment, and innovation. When effectively engaged, diaspora communities can become strategic partners in addressing urgent labor market issues such as high youth unemployment, persistent skills mismatches, and limited industrial diversification.