Talent Attractiveness: Research & methodology

What is behind the indicators?

The OECD Indicators of Talent Attractiveness (ITA) includes variables that are profile-specific, targeted to different talented migrant categories. Variables behind the composite indicators are therefore not identical for all talent profiles, but reflect the specificity of the migration determinants of each category. Furthermore, when the variable is the same across profiles, its value may change according to the reference group. For each migrant profile, the indicators comprise between 23 and 25 variables referring to both economic and non-pecuniary factors. The indicators are grouped in seven dimensions, each representing a distinct aspect of talent attractiveness: (1) quality of opportunities, (2) income and tax, (3) future prospects, (4) family environment, (5) skills environment, (6) inclusiveness, and (7) quality of life. An optional health dimension is available to users (8) health system performance. This dimension is only available in the second edition of the ITA, and has been added as an additional user option outside the core ITA framework. In addition, an overarching dimension of country accessibility in terms of policies and practices for admission is included to take into account the accessibility of visa and residence permit in international mobility decisions.

In order to select the variables for each talent attractiveness dimension, the OECD Indicators of Talent Attractiveness refers to the most widely used channel in each destination country. For highly skilled foreign workers, temporary visa programmes are used rather than permanent programmes, since most permanent economic migrants were previously on temporary visas, and for comparability purposes, as only a few OECD countries have direct settlement channels. Intra-company transfer (ICT) migrants are excluded from the analysis, since their mobility reflects employer choices more than individual preferences.

For start-up founders, only countries with a start-up visa or an entrepreneur visa similar to a start-up visa scheme are considered.

When looking at the stringency of migration policies and practices for highly skilled foreign workers, the most favourable case is assumed: that the prospective migrant already has a job offer from an employer based in a destination country, for a position which matches the skill level of the individual.

Where to find more information about the indicators:

• Download here the working paper presenting in detail the initial methodology behind the OECD Indicators of Talent Attractiveness
• Download here the policy brief summarising the main results of the 2023 OECD Indicators of Talent Attractiveness for highly skilled workers, entrepreneurs, and students (also available in French)
• Download here the policy brief summarising the main results of the 2023 OECD Indicators of Talent Attractiveness for start-up founders (also available in French)
• Download here the policy brief summarising the main results from the 2019 OECD Indicators of Talent Attractiveness

Read more OECD publications on skilled migration:

• Skills on the move
• The global competition for talent
• Building an EU Talent Pool 
• Open for business. Migrant entrepreneurship in OECD countries
• Managing highly-skilled Labour Migration: a Comparative Analysis of Migration Policies and Challenges in OECD Countries
• What are the risks and rewards of start-up visas?