Numerous articles about how much Russia suffers from a brain drain, based on a misinterpretation of the data of Rosstat, says Leonid Bershidsky. In fact, because of the crisis of the Russian Federation left the migrants from the CIS countries, and the outflow of highly skilled professionals to the West is not so great.
After the “annexation of Crimea” in 2014 began to write a lot about the fact that Russia suffers from a “brain drain”, often referring to an article by Bloomberg columnist Leonid Bershidsky about “emigration frustrated. But, according to the press service of the state, analysts relied on incorrect statistical data and in fact, while in Russia there are problems with human capital, it is not a brain drain.
Referring to official statistics, Bershidsky notes that in 2015 299 000 353 000, left Russia, went to CIS countries. So, concludes the author, it was the migrants returning to their home countries, because Russia could no longer provide them with work. That is about the “brain drain” out of the question.
In addition, the flow of migrants from CIS to Russia has not stopped. The economy of the neighboring countries since the beginning of the “Russian depression” did not become stronger, and Russia still can provide the best opportunities for workers from Central Asia, Moldova and Azerbaijan.
Migration from Russia to richer countries has increased, when Vladimir Putin was elected President for a third term in 2012, says Bershidsky. But in 2015, according to official statistics, the number of highly skilled migrants, even declined.
The correct analysis of official statistics have to show that, even if Russia is experiencing a brain drain, the problem is not great. Another question, the author notes that analyzing such statistics meaningless. Because it counts only those who had notified the authorities that they leave permanent residence to another location. And it involves efforts related to the cancellation of registration in Russia, and many prefer not to mess with the paperwork.
Bershidsky writes that because of this neither he nor his family of four not included in the official statistics. But they are considered data of the Eurostat, according to which in 2014, Russia went from 22.5% more people than in 2009, but in the scale of 143 million Russian population is little, says the author.
The truth is that even if you emigrate the best and the brightest — and this is not necessarily so, ” “Russia without us will not collapse,” writes Bershidsky. Moreover, the flow goes in both directions and in 2015 Russia from Germany, came four thousand men.
In contrast to the period of the iron curtain the decision to leave Russia does not become final. The author hopes to return, when it formed a “reasonable government.”
And other people, says Bloomberg, and go back and forth depending on where they have to work. Despite the official rhetoric, Putin did not close the borders, although those who have dual citizenship, in recent years, the pressure and demand to inform what they have passports.
Thus, although the skilled workers were leaving the country, the outflow is not as great as in the 90-ies.
According to Bershidsky, the problem of human resources in Russia is not connected with emigration. The cost of education in this country in recent years reduced and now amount to 3.6% of GDP. This is comparable to Slovakia and Paraguay.
Russia produced a lot more specialists with higher education than in France and the UK, but per student it allocates only half of what it spends, the government of France. But the economy does not need so many specialists with a useless education, according to the author, because many of them go into the service sector and a job which does not require high qualification. In addition, in Russia very few people improve their skills without interrupting production.
According to the author, the graduates of Russian universities losing international competitiveness and the further you go the harder it will be to leave Russia for economic reasons.
