Abstract

Research on advanced human capital migration has focused on the constructs: brain drain, brain gain and brain circulation (grouped as brain migration). The behavior of brain drainers and their migration flow is affected by perceived well-being. Our study comprehensively reviews research on the well-being of highly skilled migrants in search of the constructs and classes with which well-being in brain migration is studied. Research published in the WoSCC and Scopus databases was reviewed. Subsequently, a scoping review of the literature with the PRISMA – ScR guidelines, reporting information sources and search strategy, eligibility criteria (PICOS tool), mode of study selection and data extraction, and ways to assess quality, control bias, and synthesize results. Finally, nine papers were selected, with three types of populations analyzed and two epistemic-methodological approaches: 1) the effects of roots at origin, the ethical and moral dilemmas of the brain drain and the possibilities of return on the well-being of highly qualified emigrants, and 2) identification of the business, economic and political aspects of the destination country that condition individual well-being, adaptation and permanence. Future lines of research will focus on both categories and evaluate their effects on brain migration, and on the origin and destination countries.