Date of Award
Spring 5-16-2026
Document Type
Honors Project
University Scholars Director
Dr. Joshua Tom
First Advisor/Committee Member
Dr. Geri Mason
Keywords
H-1B Visa, Skilled Migration, Origin Countries, Global Effects of Skilled Migration
Abstract
High-skilled migration has become one of the defining features of the modern global economy, especially in technology, engineering, and research-intensive industries. While public debate surrounding the H-1B visa program often centers on its effects within the United States, less attention has been given to how these migration flows affect the countries from which workers originate. This question is important because many sending countries invest heavily in the education and development of highly skilled workers while also seeking long-term economic growth and innovation. This study examines whether increases in H-1B visa migration are associated with changes in innovation outcomes in major origin countries and argues that skilled migration may generate more complex outcomes than traditional “brain drain” theories suggest. Using annual panel data from 2001 to 2020 for six major H-1B sending countries—India, China, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, and the Philippines—this study combines H-1B visa issuance data from the U.S. Department of State with patent application, GDP, and research and development expenditure data from the World Bank. Regression analysis with country and year fixed effects is used to estimate the relationship between H-1B migration and resident patent applications as a proxy for domestic innovation. The results indicate a modest positive relationship between H-1B visa issuances and patent activity in origin countries. On average, higher levels of H-1B migration are associated with higher resident patent applications, though country-specific evidence suggests these effects are not uniform across all countries. These findings are more consistent with theories of brain gain, diaspora networks, and innovation spillovers than with the view that skilled migration uniformly harms sending economies. More broadly, the study suggests that migration policy may create benefits for both receiving and sending countries rather than representing a purely zero-sum transfer of talent. Finally, the paper argues that debates over skilled migration should consider not only economic outcomes, but also how migration shapes opportunity for individuals, relational responsibilities within families and communities, and broader patterns of human flourishing in an interconnected world.
Recommended Citation
Wong, Joel, "Beyond Brain Drain: H-1B Visas, Innovation, and Human Flourishing" (2026). Honors Projects. 261.
https://digitalcommons.spu.edu/honorsprojects/261
Copyright Status
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Additional Rights Information
Copyright held by author.
Comments
A project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Honors Liberal Arts.