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This contribution aims to highlight the relevance of the concept of brain gain for intra-EU migration. For this purpose, I contrast brain gain and brain circulation as the two poles of a scale, aiming to explain disparities in the migration strategies of highly skilled intra-EU migrants that are related to their countries of origin. I apply this conceptualisation in the analysis of an original representative survey of non-German EU physicians working in Germany – one of the favourite EU destination countries of physicians. Intra-EU migrants working in the medical profession constitute a relevant case study, as this profession is the most mobile highly skilled profession within the EU and is characterised by an acute EU labour shortage. The analysis of the original migration motives and intended length of stay in Germany of the EU physicians surveyed confirms the relevance of the brain gain and brain circulation framework for understanding disparities related to the countries of origin in the migration patterns of highly skilled intra-EU migrants. Indeed, differences related to the EU physicians' regions of origin in respect of the importance of economic migration reasons and the intention to immigrate on a permanent basis correlate with the magnitude of the economic differentials between Germany and the regions of origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Southern Euro Zone countries show significant delays to adapt their social and productive systems to the EU goal of creating knowledge-based societies. A signal can be the increasingly higher level of skilled labor migration from these countries, especially during the actual crisis. Recent literature on skilled migrations often rejects the concept of “brain drain” (BD) arguing that circulation and exchange of people and knowledge is expected in the era of globalization. Using both conceptual analysis and secondary data, the paper attempts to highlight proportions of the intra-EU BD phenomenon and show how they may challenge the assumptions of circular migration models. It discusses that a BD problem likely exists in the Southern Euro Zone and proposes an alternative framework for its analysis. The main hypothesis behind this review is that the phenomenon relies on substantial lack of social opportunities for high-skilled people in the countries of origin as provoked by multiple factors. In this account, the several drivers of migrants' choice will be conceptualized by adopting a “Capability Approach,” and they will be further analyzed according to its foremost hypotheses regarding rational behavior, human welfare, and development. The resulting theoretical view has to be considered as an expansion of the neoclassical economics “standard view” on high-skilled migrations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]