Pelarian modal manusia, kadang disebut pelarian cendekiawan, pelarian intelektual, atau pengurasan keterampilan (bahasa Inggris: brain drain), mengacu pada perpindahan orang-orang pintar dan terdidik demi mencari upah atau kondisi kerja yang lebih baik sehingga negara asalnya kehilangan orang-orang atau "otak" terampil. Orang-orang yang melakukan perpindahan ini biasanya menguasai bahasa Inggris dan pindah ke Britania Raya, Amerika Serikat, atau negara penutur bahasa Inggris lainnya. Pengurasan keterampilan sering terjadi di negara berkembang, terutama bekas koloni Britania Raya di Afrika,[1] negara-negara pulau di Karibia,[2] dan negara yang ekonominya terpusat seperti Jerman Timur dan Uni Soviet. Cina dan India menempati posisi teratas negara yang mengalami eksodus orang-orang terampil dan cerdas lewat proses pelarian modal manusia.
Istilah pengurasan keterampilan juga digunakan untuk menyebut orang-orang yang gagal menyelesaikan tugas tertentu karena mengalami tekanan keras.[3]
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