Measures to limit the brain drain from developing countries

- We need national and international standards which prevents that key personnel from poorer countries are actively recruited to rich countries, says the Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion, Mr. Bjarne Håkon Hanssen. It is not in question to actively recruit health personnel from developing countries to Norway.

The Government wants that Norway shall actively contribute to the work to counter brain drain from developing countries, amongst others through the following measures:

• Co-operation with the European Union within the area of migration and development.
   
• Norway will contribute to the development of international standards to prevent active recruitment of workers with higher education and skills which the developing countries are in need of. This shall not limit the right of the individual to seek employment in other countries.
   
• Awaiting international standards, the Government will develop national guidelines.
   
• In bilateral agreements with developing countries, Norway will consider to put a greater emphasis on measures to counter or to compensate for brain drain.

Migration can have positive effects for poorer countries. The Government wants to contribute to such a development, and proposes amongst others:

• To look into possibilities for unskilled labour from developing countries to get permit for temporary work in Norway, within the framework of development projects.
   
• To continue the dialogue with the finance sector, both in Norway and developing countries, with immigrants in Norway and their sending countries, with the aim to make financial transfers easier and cheaper.

- A more balanced picture of international migration will most probably find place only when the differences in living standards between countries are reduced. This is a long term task. A main objective for the Government is to secure better coherence between the ambitions in our migration policy and policies directed at supporting the development in the poorer countries, says the Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion, Mr. Bjarne Håkon Hanssen.