Legal and Regulatory Framework of Highly Skilled Migration: The Case of the Palestinian Authority

‘We are not free here…’ – Palestinian IT students’ (im)mobile transition from university to employment or further education

“…These factors are still relevant today. Khalil (2010) suggested that highly-skilled migration from the Palestinian Territories is driven by concerns about security and politics coupled with the Israeli occupation. Interestingly, Jaafari (1973) finds that although political instability is not the major reason for leaving, it is the major reason for not returning.…”

“…The instability in the Palestinian Territories and the occupation are reasons to leave (Jaafari 1973;Khalil 2010), and the desire for freedom is frequently expressed. During a group interview five male students agree on the importance of freedom.…”

“…Nevertheless, he is staying, while his friends are leaving for opportunities abroad. This kind of migration is reported among Palestinian IT graduates (NyTeknik, 14 July 2017; The Economist, August 3-9, 2019) and highly-skilled Palestinians in general (Khalil 2010;Rosenfeld 2002;Jaafari 1973). The Palestinian IT sector is growing rapidly and employs several thousand professionals, but the number of graduates exceeds the opportunities (This Week in Palestine, November 2016).…”