KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) is encouraging Caribbean nations to adopt a more strategic and coordinated approach to high-skilled migration, viewing it as both a challenge and an opportunity for sustainable development.

The call was made by Director General, Wayne Henry, in a speech delivered by PIOJ Director of Social Policy, Planning and Research, Easton Williams, during the recent World Bank/PIOJ High-Skilled Migration in the Caribbean Forum at the ROK Hotel in downtown Kingston.

Henry noted that the Caribbean has historically faced high levels of migration among tertiary-trained professionals, with many choosing to relocate to the United States of America (USA), United Kingdom (UK) and Canada.

He pointed out that migration from the English-speaking Caribbean to these countries, “has reflected the highest percentages compared with any other region globally”.

Referencing recent findings from a World Bank multi-country study, Henry noted that between 60 and 80 per cent of tertiary-level trained individuals from the English-speaking Caribbean currently reside in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries.

The director general, in acknowledging the loss of talent, underscored the importance of crafting policies that transform this trend into an opportunity for development.

“The traditional approaches that the region has generally implemented to retain its high-skilled human resources have literally failed to produce the intended results. The major challenge for us today, is how to design policies and programmatic responses to make migration, high-skilled migration in particular, work for the sustainable development of all our countries,” he said.

Henry also highlighted the pressing demographic challenges confronting the region, such as population decline and the rapid ageing of its population.

He noted that the Caribbean is currently the fastest ageing region globally, with most countries experiencing fertility rates below the level needed to sustain population replacement.

Additionally, the director general warned that the combination of declining working-age populations and persistent emigration could hinder economic progress and strain social support systems.

Henry cautioned that the dual challenges of a shrinking working-age population and ongoing emigration could impede economic growth and place increased pressure on social support systems.

“Let me emphasise that the challenges are greater now than at any other point in our history. Our school-age and our working-age population are declining in all our countries. The elderly age group, 60 years and over, is the fastest growing segment of our population, so compounding our challenges to provide a sustainable social protection system,” he said.

The forum served as a platform to launch and discuss the findings of the World Bank’s comprehensive study on high-skilled migration in the Caribbean.

Henry encouraged the participants to use the opportunity to reimagine migration policies in a manner that fosters regional resilience and drives innovation.

“The policy options and programmatic initiatives we recommend in our deliberations… and implement, going forward, may serve as a turning point for ensuring the sustainable development of our region,” he underscored.