Page 10 - Issue 41

ELITE Vol.1, Issue 41, March 2022

Additionally, we asked the students about the reasons for the
migration of Egyptians in particular and as to why they prefer
to work abroad and refrain from working with their homeland.
Again, most of them reached a similar conclusion, pointing
out the poor working conditions, widespread discrimination,
low minimum wages, weak capabilities and resources,
increased unemployment, poor economic, social, and
educational conditions, in addition to political instability. It is
also related, the students contended, to improving the quality
of life for individuals, such as education, services, growth,
and career development, as they are tempted by the goal of
obtaining a job consistent with their scientific and practical
qualifications.
Then, we continued with asking the students about the
consequences of this phenomenon on society and the nature of As for our penultimate question, it revolved around asking
its pros and cons. A consensus was found concerning the whether they themselves, as young individuals, hope to
negative consequences of brain drain. They can be migrate and work or complete their studies abroad and the
summarized in the following points: reasons for that desire should it exist. The interviewees replied
Increasing the gap between developed and developing that they have always dreamt about doing so, as they see that
countries. the countries that attract labor – the countries of Europe, for
Impeding intellectual development and increasing the example – provide better job opportunities with higher
burden of productivity on the remaining youth force. salaries, a higher ceiling for intellectual freedom, a better
The cultural “subordination” of those who migrate to the quality of life and a higher educational and cultural level.
culture of the countries to which they immigrate and the They will not face the challenges imposed in developing
abandonment of their customs and traditions of origin, countries on all young adults at the beginning of their
thus negatively affecting their identities. professional and family life. Their point of view was that they
The loss in the origin country’s productive force would enjoy stability away from the accumulated conflicts
negatively affects the economy as it loses a number of here.
qualified experts and highly trained workers that in turn
leads to the high cost of attracting foreign competencies
that should fill the shortage in the country.
The emergence of some social problems related to the
family, such as fathers leaving their children and creating
what some described as a “broken family.”
Regarding the positive consequences, not many were found,
but overall they revolved around the economy. With an
increase in the money transferred by individuals through
remittances, which contributes to the development process and
improves the standard of living of these families, the country’s
gross domestic product increases also as a result; this
eventually leads to an increase in the income of the rest of the
workforce. Additionally, a number of students added that
migration reduces the unemployment rate. Aside from
economics, only the cultural and intellectual exchange
between the two countries was deemed as a benefit by the
interviewees.
Moving on to the last question, we inquired about an effective
way to limit and deter this phenomenon. Again, majority
agreed, this time on the necessity of granting hard-working
individuals like themselves some privileges such as those
obtained abroad. For instance, caring for their scientific and
practical qualifications, providing them with the necessary
support, providing job opportunities appropriate to their skills,
achieving the principle of gender equality, and spreading
sufficient media awareness of the possible dangers of
migration at all economic, social and cultural levels.
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