Plan this problem and solution essay about globalisation with the ideas and outline below, write it on a 40-minute timer, then compare it with a band-8 model answer.
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Many highly educated professionals leave their home countries to work abroad, which is a problem for the countries they leave.
What are the causes of this problem and what measures could be taken to solve it?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
GoPrep wrote this practice question in the style of the exam. It is not an official IELTS question.
Pick two or three points from one or both columns. You do not need all of them, and your own examples score better than memorised ones.
Spend the first few minutes planning, then write.
0 words of 250 minimum
Your answer stays on this page only. Copy it before you leave.
Write your own answer first, then compare: how it answers the exact question, what each paragraph does, and which phrases you could borrow.
Large numbers of well-qualified professionals, such as doctors, engineers and scientists, leave their home countries to work elsewhere. This essay will consider why this happens and what could be done to keep skilled people at home.
The main cause is pay. A nurse or software developer can earn several times more in Germany or the United States than in many developing countries, so the financial incentive to leave is powerful. Working conditions are also a factor. Hospitals and laboratories abroad often have modern equipment, reliable management and clear career paths, whereas at home professionals may face shortages, low status and political interference. In addition, some countries simply do not have enough opportunities for specialists; a talented researcher may find no suitable post or funding in the local universities.
Several measures could reduce this loss. Governments should raise salaries for essential professions and invest in hospitals, schools and laboratories, which would make jobs more attractive and productive. They could also create well-funded research posts and partnerships with international institutions, so that scientists can pursue ambitious projects without leaving. For those who have already gone, incentives to return might be effective, such as tax breaks, housing support or guaranteed positions. Several countries, including India and China, have launched programmes of this kind and persuaded many overseas graduates to come back. Finally, the length of time that people who receive publicly funded training must serve at home could be set by contract, though this should be carefully balanced with freedom of movement.
In conclusion, professionals emigrate chiefly because of better pay, better conditions and greater opportunity abroad. If countries improve these at home and encourage return, they can keep the skills they need.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| brain drain | loss of skilled people to other countries |
| skilled professionals | trained experts |
| attract talent | make skilled people want to come |
| working abroad | having a job in another country |
| returnee | person who comes back home |
| labour mobility | ability of workers to move |
Answer random Part 1, 2 and 3 questions on an exam timer.
Average your four skill bands, rounded the way IELTS rounds them.
Compare an IELTS band with TOEFL, Duolingo and PTE scores and CEFR levels.
Look up the IELTS score a university asks for, with the source.