THE RISK OF A "BRAIN DRAIN" EFFECT IN UKRAINIAN SPECIALISTS WHO LEFT UKRAINE AFTER THE RUSSIAN INVASION BEGAN

Abstract

The Ukrainian refugee crisis is one of the most significant humanitarian problems since the Russian invasion. Many highly educated people have fled Ukraine to find a safe place where they can safely continue their personal and professional lives. It follows that qualified Ukrainian workers may face the effect of "brain drain" in the countries of their current residence, which will have a negative impact on the economies of refugee-hosting countries and on the economy of Ukraine in the future. The object of the study is the labor market in the field of information technology, as it is a highly demanded and developing sector around the world. The conceptual category "brain waste" and its impact on the economy of the host country and the source country is considered. In order to make a forecast of the possible impact of the "brain drain" effect on Ukrainian IT-specialists in the most visited countries, the state of the Ukrainian IT-industry was analyzed according to the results of 2021. The author identified the reasons for the change of place of departure before and after the war. The professional level of IT specialists who migrated because of the war was determined. Countries were chosen based on the number of refugees from Ukraine and a survey conducted in March 2022. The article also presents a comparative analysis of the overall level of economic and digital/technological skills in the destination countries of emigrants from Ukraine and in Ukraine itself. The methodological basis of this study was a systematic approach to the study of theoretical aspects of the impact of "brain drain" on contemporary Ukrainian emigrants in order to clarify and define the essence of the basic concepts of "brain drain", systematize concepts, factors of emigration of highly qualified persons after the Russian invasion, and determine the possible future impact of "brain drain" on Ukrainian society. The methods used in this article are observation of survey results and analysis of secondary data. Collaborative projects between governments, universities, and businesses are suggested as a possible way to tap the economic potential of migrants. The main conclusions of the research are formulated and further ways of scientific research are outlined.