Ethical aspects of professional migration

International recruitment is a means by which health and social care services in England have sought to compensate for shortages of local health and social care workers. The ethical aspects of health workforce migration are complex and multi-faceted, and the arguments for and against are well-rehearsed. On the one hand, supporters of international recruitment cite respect for an individual’s right to autonomy,1 the benefits of an ethnically diverse workforce and the opportunities for professional and personal exchange.2,3 However, there are concerns relating to the adverse effects international migration of nurses may have on depleted workforces and healthcare systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, which has been heightened due to the global pandemic...