The share of highly-skilled migrants stood at 24% of all migrants in Belgium, France and the Netherlands, lower than English-speaking countries such as Canada and the UK, according to a study from the Institute of Labour Economics in Berlin and Randstad.

The highest proportions of highly skilled workers were found in Canada (55%), Great Britain (48%), Australia (43%) and Ireland (39%). The lowest was Germany at 19%.

The study also showed that three factors play a role in the attractiveness of a country for highly skilled migrants: average salary, the English language and a low average tax rate. Countries such as Belgium ranked low by the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) for these factors.

Meanwhile, Le Soir reports that by 2030 more than 40% of the Belgian working population will be highly skilled and the proportion of low-skilled workers will fall below 20%. Furthermore, it added that Belgium is one of the fastest growing countries, along with Sweden and France, for highly skilled workers.