Third Wave Brain Drain

Mona, a university graduate, speaks fluent English and carries a rare confidence and motivation, but she is also depressed. All her friends in Tehran are leaving one by one to live or study in America, England or Germany, and within a year, she says she will have no one left—even her boyfriend plans on going to Australia soon. Three years ago, as she studied hard and did well in school, she never imagined that she would need to leave the country to work, but now she sees it as the only option. As she talks, I remember how many people I’ve met over the past few months who have left or who are planning to emigrate in order to find better opportunities outside of Iran. This recent mass emigration of educated, usually affluent, Iranian youth could be categorized as the third-wave Brain Drain for Iranian society.

In the years of the Islamic Revolution, supporters of the Shah and other dissidents from the upper strata of society fled the country. Although these exiles took with them young talent and wealth, Iran was willing to rebuild itself without them. However, shortly after the Revolution, Iraq attacked Iran, and an even larger group of Iranians left during the eight years of war. Many had wanted to stay, but could not see an end to the fighting. Instead they sought stability in primarily Western countries. This second-wave Brain Drain was a big blow to the development of the country. It was the professionals, skilled workers and those with college degrees who left, and it was exactly those types of people who were needed to rebuild Iran. After the war, Iran was left with an economic and political vacuum, and important positions were filled by anyone, no matter what their skill set. The effects of such haphazard development are still being felt today.

Gradually, the nation regained hope, and especially during the years of Khatami’s presidency, emigration declined and people saw a future for their families and themselves within Iran. Now, due to disillusionment with the reform movement and Iran’s current economic woes, Iranians, especially Iranian youth, have been looking abroad for answers to their problems. The US embassies in surrounding countries have become so full of visa requests from Iranian citizens, that even President Bush’s hawkish government has suggested establishing a US interest section inside Iran to handle these visa applications.

With double-digit unemployment, soaring inflation, and tightening social controls, it is no wonder that youth have been seeking an escape. But the problem goes even deeper. Wages do not match the high costs of living in Tehran. A large proportion of high school graduates continue to higher education, but even after attaining college degrees few jobs are available to them. Still those who are able to land a decent job have a hard time getting by, and very few can afford to live separately from their parents. Those who want to marry, have to wait until they can afford to do so, and couples sometimes wait years to have children. In the workplace, employers rarely fully utilize talent, and getting promotions or raises in wages is difficult. As a result, employees are not dedicated to their work because they have lost hope for success and growth. Such a depressed workforce negatively affects the economy, and the cycle is endless.

On the other hand, the opportunities for success in Iran are actually enormous because so many niches need to be filled. One young man, for example, decided to open one of the first veterinary clinics in Tehran, and he is now better off than his brother who moved to the US. Those with the start-up capital and energy to navigate the complicated licensing and investment system have been able to amass fortunes. Few, however, have the financial ability, stamina or creativity to take this path, and they see emigration as an easier route to save money and live a comfortable life. Also, the current government’s hard-line approach to the public activities and dress of youth has added societal frustrations to economic ones.

The effects of the third-wave Brain Drain will be seen in the years to come. It is often said that the youth are the future of a nation, but with so many leaving, who will be left and what does it mean for those who remain? However, there is also the possibility that these youth will come back from their experiences and studies abroad with the realization that it is not necessarily so easy to succeed in other parts of the world, and they will use their new-found skills and knowledge to contribute to the development of the country. But this can only happen if the State can provide the grounds for them to return, rather than creating even more justifications for them to leave.