Gendered Labor in Transnational Nursing Migration: Brain Drain, Care Deficits, and Diaspora Advocacy

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 10, October 2026 | pp. 169–182

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001327

Article Type: Research Article

Title: Gendered Labor in Transnational Nursing Migration: Brain Drain, Care Deficits, and Diaspora Advocacy

Names of Author: Grace Osei-Bonsu¹, Ravi Shankar², & Claire Moreau³

Author's Affiliation: ¹School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana; ²Centre for Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India; ³Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.

Abstract:
Aggressive international recruitment of healthcare professionals by high-income nations has accelerated the out-migration of skilled female nurses from sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. While overseas employment offers higher wages and remittance opportunities for migrant nurses and their families, it simultaneously exacerbates critical staffing shortages and maternal mortality risks in under-resourced domestic public hospitals. Furthermore, migrant nurses in host countries frequently encounter racialized deskilling, credential non-recognition, and barriers to senior clinical leadership. This paper explores the structural drivers and lived consequences of transnational nursing migration among Ghanaian and Indian nurses working in Canada and the United Kingdom. Utilizing transnational feminist political economy, the study synthesizes interviews with 44 migrant nurses and health policy analysts. We advocate for ethical bilateral recruitment frameworks that fund domestic nursing education and protect migrant workers’ professional mobility.

Keywords: Nursing migration, care drain, transnational labor, health equity, feminist political economy, diaspora advocacy, Ghana, India

Manuscript Timeline: Received: August 28, 2026; Revised: September 28, 2026; Accepted: October 02, 2026; Published: October 15, 2026.

Citation: Osei-Bonsu, G., Shankar, R., & Moreau, C. (2026). Gendered Labor in Transnational Nursing Migration: Brain Drain, Care Deficits, and Diaspora Advocacy. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(10), 169–182. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001327

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