Greece is still faced with the problem of brain drain, even after the end of the memoranda, the return to positive growth rates, the increase in wages and the reduction of unemployment, according to an analysis by the ENA Institute.
As it turns out, the problem may not be as serious for the lower age group of 15-24 years since some people in this category may be leaving the country for studies with the prospect of returning.
The main problem concerns the second category, 25-44 years old, which is the most productive age. This group of people still leaves the country, at a somewhat lower rate compared to the memorandum period but at a higher rate compared to the pre-memorandum period.
Their departure not only deprives the Greek economy of valuable human capital but constitutes another proof that the losses suffered by the Greek economy during the period of the memoranda had long-lasting consequences.
Specifically
The first interesting element is the total population that has left the country since 2010.
In the 9-year period of the 2010-18 memoranda, a total of 796,191 people belonging to the economically active population left the country. Of these, 162,591 were aged 15-24, 472,657 aged 25-44 and 160,943 aged 45-64. It is clear that almost 60% of the people who immigrated in the period of the memoranda are in the intermediate and most productive age group of 25-44 years.
How much has this changed in the years since the memorandum?
In the four-year period 2019-22, a total of 283,801 people belonging to the economically active population left the country. 71,467 were aged 15-24, 161,023 aged 25-44 and 51,311 aged 45-64. Again the largest percentage (about 58%) belongs to the intermediate age group of 25-44 years.
