September 24, 2015

Stay rates of foreign PhD graduates in the Netherlands

The effects of foreign PhD graduates on the Dutch economy as a whole and on public finances in particular depends on whether and for how long foreigners stay in the country after receiving their PhD degree from a Dutch university. We analyze the stay rates of foreign PhD graduates in the Netherlands over a 10-year period after their graduation.

We use rich administrative data containing information on different demographic characteristics and migration events of individuals who are employed as PhD candidates by Dutch universities. We find that the stay rate of foreign PhD graduates in the Netherlands 10 years after graduation is 32 percent. In comparison to the US, this stay rate is substantially lower. We additionally find that women have a 28 percent lower probability of leaving the Netherlands than men. Foreign PhD graduates in technical studies are more likely to stay in the Netherlands compared to those who received their PhD in other disciplines. PhD graduates who originate from less developed countries are more likely to stay than foreign PhD graduates from developed countries. The most popular destinations among foreign PhD graduates who leave the Netherlands are Germany, the U.S., and the U.K.