Should the concept of highly skilled migration be redefined? A case analysis of Estonia

Abstract

Despite receiving countries' growing favourable perceptions of highly skilled (labour) migrants, defining, and using the concept of high-skilled migration is a puzzling question. The uncertainty that results makes it difficult to quantify human capital, preventing worldwide evaluations of skills, and makes it challenging to evaluate immigration policy. In this thesis, three standard criteria are evaluated to provide a discussion on this phenomenon of highly skilled migration. The term "highly skilled" has been evaluated from a definitional perspective under the paradigm of academics, the global labour market and immigration policies. To assess the applicability of the criteria defining a "highly skilled", Estonia has used a case study to assess how the definitional approach differs from immigration policies and thus provide a critical analytical discussion on the relevancy of "highly skilled" in the new knowledge economy.