Brain drain reversal may be imminent

The brain drain, that led to the departure of over 400,000 Greeks from 2008 to 2016 could be reversed if the economy grows and investments come into Greece, experts say.

At the annual E-Kyklos conference in Athens on Thursday, diaNEOsis research analyst Fay Makantasi presented a survey on social mobility in Greece during the financial crisis and outlined the profile of the 427,000 Greeks who went abroad, saying they were mostly young, unmarried university graduates who lived in cities.

They might consider coming back to Greece if there is a political and financial shift in the country, Makantasi told Kathimerini English Edition, citing analysts who have discerned a possible reversal in the outflow of skilled youths. She also cited the example of a relative whose startup in Switzerland is considering setting up a branch in Greece.