International Students Migrations : An analysis of the determinants of localisation and a measure of the economic impacts.

Summary This thesis investigates the determinants of location choices of internationally mobile students and international students. A global analysis focuses on the determinants of student migration to OECD countries. Using estimation methods found in the literature on international trade (Poisson regressions), it appears that, in addition to the traditional determinants of labor migration, the quality of education in the destination countries is a strong determinant of student migration. Moreover, a network effect, by qualification, has been highlighted. An analysis of the determinants applied to the French case confirms the results of the previous study and highlights a network effect by age as well as a strong sensitivity to the costs borne by students during their studies (real estate prices, etc.). This thesis also evaluates the macroeconomic impacts of student migration on the French economy using a computable general equilibrium model with overlapping generations. Receiving and training international students represents a cost, but this cost can be offset by an increase in the economy's human capital stock, which translates into a higher GDP growth rate. Nevertheless, the magnitude of the gains depends on the size of the student flows as well as on the share of students trained in France who will enter the French labor market once their studies are completed (retention rate). Student migration also has an impact on the financing of the French pension system by changing the ratio of inactive to active workers.