HGP Nightly News – Guyana may be one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, but a new UNDP report is raising serious concerns about the number of skilled citizens leaving the country. The 2026 UNDP “Democracy and Development Report” has ranked Guyana 12th in the world for brain drain and 4th in Latin America and the Caribbean. In South America, Guyana recorded the highest human capital loss score in 2023, with 8.2 out of 10.
That score places Guyana ahead of Venezuela, which recorded 6.5, and Suriname, which recorded 5.7. In the Caribbean, only Jamaica and Haiti were ranked higher than Guyana. The findings create a sharp contrast between Guyana’s growing oil wealth and the continued departure of its educated and trained citizens.
According to the report, Guyana’s brain drain is being driven largely by the migration of qualified professionals, including persons with tertiary education who are leaving for countries in the Global North. The report states that nearly 90 percent of Guyanese with tertiary education eventually relocate overseas.
This means that while Guyana’s economy continues to expand, many of the people needed to strengthen healthcare, education, public administration, and private sector growth are building their lives elsewhere.
The report describes brain drain and human capital emigration as the economic impact caused when productive citizens, professionals, and members of the middle class leave a country for economic or political reasons.
For Guyana, the situation is especially troubling because the country is not losing people mainly because of war or open conflict. Instead, many skilled citizens appear to be leaving because they believe better opportunities, services, salaries, and living conditions are available abroad.
The report also points to wider quality-of-life concerns. It notes that Guyana and Haiti have among the lowest life expectancy ratings in the Caribbean, with averages ranging between 66 and 76 years. This is below the regional average of 77.8 years.
That gap is especially important for the health sector, where nurses, doctors, and other trained workers may be more likely to leave for better-resourced systems overseas.
The issue has been raised before. The Guyana Public Service Union had previously called on the government to “stop the brain drain” and place greater focus on public servants. Earlier reporting also cited World Bank data showing that 39 percent of Guyanese citizens live abroad, while roughly half of all Guyanese with tertiary education had migrated to the United States.
At the same time, Guyana is facing another migration pressure. While trained Guyanese continue to leave, the country has also become a destination for Venezuelans fleeing crisis in their homeland.
The UNDP report notes that the government has used MERCOSUR arrangements and temporary permits to regularize some Venezuelan arrivals. However, many migrants still face difficulties accessing essential services, placing further pressure on systems already struggling to meet local demand.
The report also warns that Guyana’s brain drain could weaken the country’s long-term development if it is not addressed. It argues that the loss of educated citizens can reduce public oversight, weaken institutions, and limit the country’s ability to manage its new oil wealth effectively.
Without stronger efforts to retain skilled workers, improve public services, and make professional life more rewarding at home, Guyana risks building a wealthy economy without enough human capacity to sustain it.
