Band 7+: Some people believe that professionals, such as doctors and engineers, should be required to work in the country where they did their training. Others believe that they should be free to work in another country if they wish. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Should domestically trained specialists in areas such as medicine and engineering be obliged to pursue their careers in their homeland or should they be given the choice of working abroad? In this essay, I shall discuss both sides of this controversial issue before going on to state why I tend to agree with the need for them to remain in their countries at least in the short-term.

Those in favour of making graduates from these highly skilled professions stay and work in the country where they studied, often stress that the cost of higher education in many countries is subsidised by taxpayers and that thanks to government funding, talented students from any background will be able to realise their potential. The argument, therefore, is that these alumni owe a debt of gratitude to the society that helped them. Furthermore, in many developing countries, the need to maximize all available resources, including the human variety, is of the utmost importance. These countries cannot afford to lose such valuable talent, especially after investing in it.

However, there are many who believe that it must be left to the individual to choose whether to stay or re-locate in another country. After devoting years of their lives to study while perhaps neglecting personal relationships and running up considerable debt, seeking opportunities elsewhere to enjoy a better lifestyle and earn a higher salary as well as the chance to further their academic and professional careers, should not be denied. Besides, if there are no restrictions on people from other walks of life, such as those in business or even the arts such as music, dance and acting, from migrating, then why should doctors and engineers be prevented?

However, there are many who believe that it must be left to the individual to choose whether to stay or re-locate in another country. After devoting years of their lives to study while perhaps neglecting personal relationships and running up considerable debt, seeking opportunities elsewhere to enjoy a better lifestyle and earn a higher salary as well as the chance to further their academic and professional careers, should not be denied. Besides, if there are no restrictions on people from other walks of life, such as those in business or even the arts such as music, dance and acting, from migrating, then why should doctors and engineers be prevented?