The Movement of Skilled Labor and Knowledge across Borders

The movement of peoples across borders influences the acquisition and transfer of skills in both apparent and indirect ways. Universities host and seek students from a wide range of countries. Companies look globally in search of the best, and perhaps cheapest, talent. Needless to say, this movement of peoples leads also to the movement of ideas, cultural expression, and norms that invigorate, but also challenge the host country.1 The movement of people to acquire and transfer skills is particularly challenging to nation-states given the global environment of competition to increase economic growth and well-being under international norms and standards.2 When harmonized and strengthened intellectual property rights are a critical part of these norms and standards, the national challenges of accommodating and controlling the movement of skilled labor require policymakers and scholars to address the normative foundations for migration and intellectual property.3