Tenerife Launches Strategy to Reverse Brain Drain and Lure Professionals Home

The "brain drain"—the loss of skilled workers that has long held back peripheral economies—is now a top priority for the Tenerife Island Council. This week, the council launched a new strategy to recruit and retain professionals from Tenerife who are currently living in Madrid, aiming to bridge the gap between the island’s job market and the young talent building careers elsewhere.

The initiative, a partnership between the council, the consultancy firm Hunger4Innovation, and several private companies, kicks off on April 15 at the Impact Hub Gobernador in Madrid. This event will bring together 100 highly qualified professionals, serving as the launchpad for a permanent networking hub. Island President Rosa Dávila and councilors Serafín Mesa and Juan José Martínez emphasized that the government’s role is to act as a facilitator, connecting job openings in growing sectors like biomedicine, technology, and audiovisual production with expatriate talent.

The council’s research highlights a clear opportunity: while 60% of the event’s participants currently have no professional ties to Tenerife, all of them are open to returning in the future. This suggests that the issue isn't a lack of interest, but a lack of institutional support. With over 90% of those surveyed expressing interest in joining a talent community, the council hopes to turn the diaspora into a strategic asset.

This push to bring talent home is part of a broader effort to diversify the Canary Islands' economy beyond traditional services. Support from companies like Cajasiete, Club Deportivo Tenerife, Telespazio, and Hospiten shows that the private sector is eager to hire these professionals. Ultimately, the Island Council aims to build a network of ambassadors abroad, ensuring that Tenerife’s scientific and technological growth is driven by its own people and preventing the loss of investment that occurs when the island’s best-trained citizens are forced to move away.