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This project, led by Dr Majella Kilkey and with Professor Louise Ryan as Co-I, is a collaboration funded through the  between the Universities of ºù«Ӱҵ, Alberta, Ghana, Sydney, Dublin, Western Australia, Warsaw and the Open University.

It seeks to develop knowledge and understanding of migrants’ decision-making in the context of shifting migration regimes, focusing on highly skilled health and social care professionals (H&SCPs), such as doctors and nurses. Migration regimes globally are in flux as governments respond to multiple challenges. A common challenge across high-income countries (HICs) is plugging labour-market gaps. Healthcare represents one sector with significant current and future labour demand. Increasingly countries are engaged in a ‘global race for talent’ to attract highly skilled H&SCPs.  Understanding what matters to migrants themselves – i.e. what underpins their decision-making – is a critical, yet overlooked, dimension for governments in destination countries to consider as they re-work their migration policies. It is also important for governments in countries of origin. These predominantly low- and lower-middle-income countries are experiencing significant shortages of H&SCPs, partly because of outward migration. This jeopardises their capacity to meet their own populations’ healthcare needs and to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Through virtual platforms and in-person contacts, this project will develop a range of activities, generating sustainable scholarly research with public and policy relevance.