Young people moving abroad: brain drain: IELTS Writing Task 2 sample answer

Every year, many thousands of young people from countries such as Bangladesh, India and Nigeria move abroad for higher education or employment. This trend has both positive and negative effects on the countries they leave behind. In my view, the advantages can outweigh the disadvantages, but only if those countries actively encourage their emigrants to stay connected.

The most serious disadvantage is the so-called brain drain. When talented graduates leave, their home country loses the skilled workers it needs as well as the money it invested in their education. This is especially damaging in healthcare: large numbers of doctors and nurses trained in South Asia and Africa now work in Britain and the Gulf states, while hospitals at home remain understaffed. The emigration of the most ambitious young people can also slow the growth of local businesses and institutions.

However, there are substantial benefits. Workers abroad send home remittances, which are a vital source of income for millions of families and for national economies. Bangladesh, for instance, receives more than twenty billion dollars a year in this way, money that pays for children's schooling, housing and small businesses. In addition, emigrants who later return bring valuable expertise, international contacts and capital. India's information technology industry was strengthened considerably by engineers who had gained experience in the United States and then came home to start companies.

The balance therefore depends largely on government policy. A country that offers incentives to return, such as tax breaks for returning entrepreneurs or research posts for scientists trained overseas, can turn a loss into a gain. Building links with communities abroad, for example through investment schemes, also helps.

In conclusion, although the departure of skilled young people is a real loss, I believe that remittances, knowledge transfer and the possibility of return mean that the benefits can be greater, provided that governments take active steps to maintain ties with their citizens abroad.