The Economist magazine has a nice video graphic about international migration and remittances. One interesting observation: the countries that people are leaving in the greatest numbers are not the poorest countries. It turns out that moving from one country to another is expensive. So as a country's economy improves, out-migration increases (more people can afford to move). This is beneficial to the home country, as remittances flow in, and also to the destination country, which now has the benefit of less expensive labor. The Economist is silent, however, on the economic impact on the home country of bright, ambitious people leaving.
