Many developing countries continually lose a significant number of high-level educated workers, especially scientists, engineers, academics, and physicians, who decide to move and stay abroad in more developed countries. While the face of immigration often potrayed in the media and thought by the society is done by low-skill workers with low wages, the majority of documented immigration is actually done by the high-skilled workers and high-level educated workers. This phenomenon is called human capital flight or more commonly referred to as brain drain. Brain drain is the emigration of highly educated and skilled professionals in search of higher income and a better standard of living, among a host of other reasons, from the developing countries (Africa, South-East Asia countries, etc) to the developed one (United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, etc.). Brain drain phenomenon is closely related to the agglomeration, a situation in which the population is centralized in the urban area because of the people are looking for a more promising condition. One of the difference between brain drain and agglomeration is that the agglomeration occurs in only one country, whereas the brain drain is happening around the world involving many countries.

Several studies indicate that this brain drain phenomenon has become a common trend in the developing countries. From the data computed by B.I. Logan from the book “The Reverse Transfer of Technology from Sub-Saharan Africa to the United States”, it is known that between 1974 and 1985 in Africa, an average of 12.416 technical and professional personnel per year were admitted to the United States from various contries in Africa. And according to the World Bank Group, nearly 70.000 of high-level educated workers in Africa leave their home countries to work in industrialized nations. Also, from the research conducted by UNCTAD, it is discovered that doctors, ICT expert, engineers and other experts from poor countries continue to move and stay to prosperous countries each year. This research is conducted every year in the 50 countries that are less developed, among other 8 countries in Asia, 33 countries in Africa, 8 islands and Haiti. It appears that the brain drain or the human capital flight from countries in the region continue to rise. In 1990, the brain drain was amounted to 16.5%. And now the number had risen to 21.4%. The number of highest brain drain is coming from Haiti which has lost 80% of educated and skilled workers. From the researches above, we know that the brain drain phenomenon occurs in many developing countries and this phenomenon can be very detrimental to the relevant countries.