By Ayisha Yahya BBC World Service business reporter

The continued political unrest in Zimbabwe and the raft of economic problems now facing the country is having a damaging effect on the workforce.

According to the ACCA in Harare - a body that represents chartered accountants - thousands of professionals have already left the nation.

The medical profession has also been badly affected forcing Zimbabwe to recruit personnel from other regions.

But the exodus could bring some unexpected economic benefits.

New pastures

Political uncertainty, sporadic violence and the daily problems of food and fuel shortages are taking their toll on Zimbabwe's white collar workforce.

Worldwide there is an acute shortage of accountants therefore our members are highly mobile ACCA spokesman

Accountants, engineers, doctors and teachers alike are finding it impossible to maintain their standard of living in the face of rampant inflation.

The World Bank estimates that the level of inflation will reach 500% this year.

In 2002, more than 6,000 professionals left the country.

Most have joined the growing Zimbabwean expatriate communities in Britain, South Africa and Botswana.

But others have settled in regions as far afield as the Caribbean and Australia.

In demand

An ACCA spokesman, who did not wish to be named, told the BBC that there were plentiful opportunities for accountants who choose to leave.

"Worldwide there is an acute shortage of accountants therefore our members are highly mobile," he said.

"Regardless of the economic situation we are facing, they have always been in demand in the region and across the globe."

Other professionals such as doctors and nurses are also finding work in countries where their skills are in short supply, for example in Britain.

That is causing a problem back in Zimbabwe, which has had to recruit medical staff from other regions.

Unexpected bonus

In the private sector, it is a different story.

Although many workers are leaving, there are plenty of candidates to take their place - because so many companies are closing their doors, as the economic climate worsens.

Although the general picture is bleak, there is an unexpected bonus for Zimbabwe from this skills drain.

Last year, Zimbabweans living abroad collectively sent home more than $40m a month - providing a welcome boost for the country's depleted foreign reserves.